Nikhat Zareen set for Strandja Boxing Tournament

Hyderabad: Nizamabad boxer Nikhat Zareen and nine others have been cleared to compete in the 73rd International Boxing Tournament Strandja, scheduled to be held in Bulgaria from February 18 to 22.

The 12-member Indian team left for Bulgaria on Thursday night. Nikhat Zareen, who competes in the 52kg category, has fond memories from the tournament as the talented boxer won gold medal in the 2019 edition.

The women’s team has also been reduced to 10 after pullouts by bereaved Asian champion Pooja Rani (81kg) and Sonia Lather (57kg), who hasn’t yet fully recovered from a niggle.

Meanwhile, six Indian male boxers were forced out of the tournament due to injuries as the sports ministry approved funding for the truncated team’s participation in the marquee European circuit tournament.

Govind (48kg), Ankit (51kg), Rajpinder Singh (54kg), Dalvir Singh (63.5kg), Rohit Tokas (71kg) and Gaurav Chauhan (92kg) were withdrawn from the tournament due to niggles sustained during training.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) said that the government will bear the cost of the team’s participation in the event.

“Five support staff from the women’s team and four from the men’s team have also been cleared to travel at cost to the Govt,” the SAI stated in a release. For the women’s team, it would be handy exposure before the world championships in May this year.

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