Nikhat Zareen Shakes off Early Nerves to Win Olympic Debut
Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen had a slow start in her opening bout at the Paris Olympics but was able to find her rhythm in the later rounds to clinch a vital victory. The 28-year-old took on Germany’s Maxi Carina in the women’s 50kg category on Sunday.
It was evident in the first round that Nikhat was feeling some nerves in her maiden Olympic appearance. She struggled to find her range against the aggressive approach of Carina. This allowed the German boxer to land a few shots and edge the first round on the judges’ scorecards.
However, in the following rounds Nikhat calmed her nerves and settled into a nice boxing rhythm. She started connecting with clean hooks that kept her opponent at a distance. By landing accurate power punches, she was able to control the exchanges and outscore Carina. This saw her level the bout with a unanimous decision in the second round.
In the final round, Carina attempted to wrestle on the inside but Nikhat continued to come up with effective shots. She finished strongly to be awarded the round on all five judges’ cards and secure a comprehensive victory.
The Indian paddlers also enjoyed success on the opening day. Sreeja Akula and former national champion Manika Batra cruised into the round of 32 with straight-set wins in their respective matches. However, veteran Sharath Kamal was edged out in a tense singles encounter after leading late in the match.
Upcoming fixtures for India include Nikhat facing a stern test against world number one boxer Wu Yu as she looks to continue her dream debut at the Paris Olympics.
