"Will change colour of medal": Boxer Sakshi Chaudhary eyes gold after reaching 51kg semifinals at CWG 2026
Glasgow, July 29
Indian boxer Sakshi Chaudhary vowed to "change the colour of the medal to gold" after she advanced to the women's 51kg semifinals at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after defeating Northern Ireland's Caitlyn Fryers with a dominant unanimous 5-0 decision in the quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Sakshi, who came into the Games in good form after moving back to the 51kg category and beating top Indian boxers during the trials, controlled the bout with a composed performance. She won all three rounds by identical 5-0 margins, using her movement and accurate punches to keep Fryers under pressure, according to ESPN.
The victory also assured Sakshi of a Commonwealth Games medal. She will now face Canada's Amber-Jane Wall in the semifinal on Friday for a place in the gold medal bout.
Speaking to ANI, Sakshi said her aim is now to change the colour of the medal she assured to gold. She added that she will focus on staying calm and giving her best in the next bout, while dedicating the achievement to India, her family, coaches and supporters.
"The colour needs to change, but achieving this milestone was also very important. After this, there will be a little less pressure. Now I just have to change the colour of the medal to gold, and I want to win a gold medal for India. My focus will be to stay calm and play my game to the fullest," she said.
"I would like to dedicate my medal to the whole of India, who supported me to reach here, my family, all the coaches, and everyone else," she added.
Earlier, Sakshi had defeated Botswana's Lethabo Modukanele in the previous round to book her quarterfinal spot.
India has enjoyed a successful campaign in Glasgow, winning 12 medals so far -- two gold, seven silver and three bronze.
India's medallists are Mirabai Chanu (gold, weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (gold, women's shot put F57), Rishikanta Singh (silver, weightlifting), Muthupandi Raja (silver, weightlifting), Gyaneshwari Yadav (silver, weightlifting), Sarvesh Kushare (silver, men's high jump), Gulveer Singh (silver, men's 10,000m), Harjinder Kaur (silver, weightlifting), Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver, weightlifting), Bindyarani Devi (bronze, weightlifting), Shilpa K. Shyla (bronze, women's shot put F57) and Jhandu Kumar (bronze, para powerlifting).
— ANI
Reader Comments
Really proud of Sakshi! But I hope the federation and government also invest more in grassroots boxing. We need more such stories from small towns. The talent is there, just needs proper backing.
Impressive performance from Sakshi! As someone who follows boxing, I can say that beating a Northern Irish boxer 5-0 in all three rounds is no joke. She's peaking at the right time for the semis.
Sakshi's dedication is incredible. "Change the colour of the medal to gold" - that's the attitude we need! And dedicating it to the whole of India, her family, and coaches shows how grounded she is. Best of luck for the semis! 🌟
Great to see Indian women's boxing producing consistent performers. Sakshi's movement and accuracy were on point. The Canadian opponent will be tough, but she has the momentum. Let's bring home the gold! 🥇
Sakshi's journey is an inspiration for every young athlete. But we also need to talk about the overall medal tally - 12 medals so far is good, but we can do much better. More systematic training and international exposure needed. Jab tak gold na hoga, tab tak chain nahi! 🔥
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