Sakshi stuns world champion Meenakshi to secure 51kg India berth for CWG, Asiad
Patiala, May 15
Sakshi Chaudhary, who defeated two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen in the semifinal of the national boxing trials, made the cut for the Indian team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games to be held in Japan later this year.
She defeated the reigning world and Asian champion in the 48kg division, Meenakshi Hooda, who moved up to 51kg, in the final here at NIS Patiala on Friday. Sakshi, who won gold in the 54 kg category at the 2025 World Boxing Cup in Astana, dropped down to 51 kg for the trials.
The boxer who loses the final will be selected for the World Boxing Cup in Guiyang, China, from June 15 to 20, while the winner earns quotas for the two quadrennial events.
Earlier, Sakshi stunned Nikhat, who won the World Championships twice and gold in the Commonwealth Games and bronze in the Asian Games, while Meenakshi knocked out former world champion Neetu Ghanghas.
The 51kg category will have a new representative from the country top stars; Nikhat and Nitu crashed out.
Nikhat was forced to take part in the trials after she failed to secure a direct entry during last month's Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. She had reached the semifinals in the continental meet but went down tamely 0-5 to China's Wu Yu, the reigning Olympic gold medallist.
Moreover, Sachin Siwach (men's 60kg), Preeti Pawar (women's 54kg) and Priya Ghanghas (women's 60kg) qualified for both the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games after reaching the finals of the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar.
Jaismine Lamboria (women's 57kg) and Arundhati Choudhary (women's 70kg) secured qualification for the Commonwealth Games only, as their weight categories are not part of the Asian Games programme.
The Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2, followed by the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Heartbreaking for Nikhat Zareen though. She is a legend and seeing her lose in trials is tough, but that's the beauty of Indian boxing now—competition is fierce. The 51kg category is going to be exciting with Sakshi representing us. Best of luck to all the boxers! 🙏
This is what happens when you have proper grassroots boxing programs in Haryana and other states. Sakshi dropping down from 54kg to 51kg and still dominating shows her adaptability. I just hope the federation supports all these boxers equally—losers also deserve good exposure.
As someone who follows international boxing, this is impressive. Sakshi beating Nikhat (who beat the Olympic champion Wu Yu last year) and then Meenakshi (reigning world champion) is huge. India's women's boxing is truly world-class now. Can't wait to see them in Glasgow!
A small request to the boxing federation—please make sure the trials process is transparent and fair for everyone. Boxers like Nikhat and Nitu losing in trials is part of sport, but they should still get chances in other events. The World Boxing Cup in China is a good consolation. Also, congratulations to Jaismine and Arundhati for CWG qualification! ✨
The depth in Indian women's boxing is incredible. From Mary Kom to now these young champions like Sakshi, Preeti, and Priya—the legacy continues. But I'm a bit concerned about Nikhat; she's been struggling lately. Hope she can bounce back strong. The
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.