Nikhat Zareen (Image credit: X)
Patiala: Two-time world champion Nakht Zareen There was a heartbreaking exit from the boxing selection trials for the upcoming CWG Asian Games on Thursday. But beyond the disappointment of defeat, Nikhat revealed the physical and mental toll of the chaotic two weeks which he described as “torture” for the boxers.Competing in the women’s 51 kg category at the NSNIS Center here, Nikhat lost 1-4 in the semi-finals to Haryana’s Sakshi Chaudhary, representing Services, ending the former’s hopes of representing India in two of the biggest multi-sport events of the year. Sakshi, who dropped down from the 54kg division specifically to target qualification for the Glasgow CWG and Aichi-Nagoya Asiad, produced a composed performance to outbox the experienced 29-year-old from Telangana.The defeat came as a surprise, with Nakht considered one of the country’s strongest medal contenders. Injuries The bout left a visible mark under his left eye, while fatigue reflected the intensity of the bout and the weeks leading up to it.Despite the setback, Nakht remained composed and introspective. “I think whatever happens, happens for a good reason. Now I can go back home and work on my mistakes,” she told TOI after the competition. “I was mentally and physically drained. My body was feeling tired. I was not spending enough time at home. I have been traveling continuously for tournaments since January 2025.”Nikhat admitted that the relentless schedule has left her little time to recover and she now plans to focus on rebuilding her fitness, endurance and strength before qualifying for the Los Angeles Olympics. “After that, I will prepare for the nationals whenever the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) announces them. I will make a strong comeback,” he said. “World qualifiers for the LA Olympics next year will be my first priority. I will give my best there.”However, a major disappointment for Nakht was due to what he called an administrative tussle between the BFI and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which he said adversely affected the preparation of the players. “In their administrative fight, the athletes got sandwiched in. We suffered and suffered. Both SAI and BFI had problems with the assessment process, but the boxers paid the price. It’s been a torturous couple of weeks for the boxers.“According to Nakht, the uncertainty surrounding the national camp and the frequent changes in the assessment protocol created a lot of tension before the trials. “The camp was supposed to start on May 26, but the approval was not given. I don’t have a proper training center in Telangana, so the camp was not starting, so I was under pressure,” she explained. He revealed that weight monitoring and conditioning were rigorously scrutinized before the boxers were told that these evaluation scores would not ultimately count.“There were daily weight targets. From five percent of body weight, you gradually had to cut down to four, three, two and finally one percent,” he said. Then suddenly they (BFI) told us that the points from these tests would not be counted. This created a tense atmosphere before the trials.Nikhat also spoke about extreme dietary restrictions during weight loss. “From April 29, I gave up carbs and rice completely. I survived on salads, steamed vegetables, protein and a piece or two of chicken. We had to lose around 500 grams every day,” she revealed.Reflecting on her semi-final defeat, Nikhat credited Sakshi for showing a great strategy and was grateful for her defeat. “Sakshi had a good reach advantage. Her lefts were effective and I couldn’t go in and attack properly. I accept defeat gracefully. I have lost many times before in my career and never made a play. It was just not my day.”Women’s team head coach Santiago Nava strongly backed Nakht’s comeback despite being out of the CWG and Asiad. “The competition was open and the boxers needed to prove themselves,” Niwa said. “Obviously, this CWG and Asiad window is now closed for Nakht, but she has to aspire to the Olympics. She has a lot of experience and can bounce back strongly in her weight category. Sakshi boxed very well today.”The trials also witnessed other surprise exits, with Neetu Ghanghas (51kg), Pooja Rani (80kg) and Hitesh Galia (70kg) failing to secure a place in the national squad after losing in the semi-finals in their respective categories.
