Moments after being topped world champions, Nitu Ghanghas, 22, ran to India’s nationwide coach Bhaskar Bhatt and wept in his arms; Saweety Boora, 30, pumped her fist on the digicam, referred to as for an Indian flag, and waved it.
On Saturday, two gold medals have been at stake for India on the Women’s World Boxing Championship right here – Nitu, harbouring hopes of glory on the Paris Olympics, and Saweety, a veteran of many battles. Both didn’t disappoint, setting the stage for Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain on Sunday to finish the gold rush.
Nitu defeated Mongolia’s Lutsaikhan Altantsetseg within the 48-kg closing in a 5-0 unanimous resolution, whereas Saweety (81 kg) defeated China’s Wang Lina with a 4-3 cut up resolution.
If India wins in each the classes on Sunday, it should equal its 2006 haul, when M C Mary Kom spearheaded the staff to its greatest-ever ladies’s boxing second. That staff additionally received three silver medals.
In Mary Kom’s class of 48 kg, the place she received six world championships up to now, Nitu, from Dhanana village in Bhiwani, has emerged as the brand new champion.
“This medal means so much to me. I worked very hard for it. I’ve been boxing since 2012 and my family support through this time means a lot to me,” mentioned Nitu after the medal ceremony. “My entire village has been supportive of my career from the very beginning. They have been praying for me since the time I went to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Many from my village came to watch me today,” she mentioned.
Nitu now provides the senior World Championship medal to 2 Youth World Championship golds (2015, 2017) in addition to a Commonwealth Games gold (2022). She skilled on the Bhiwani Boxing Club, the identical centre as Beijing Olympics bronze medal winner Vijender Singh, who watched from the stands on Saturday.
Nitu’s preliminary days have been tough, as she watched fellow contestants, together with World Championship teammate Sakshi Chaudhary, climb up the ranks and win medals. Then a bronze on the 2016 Youth Nationals was adopted by a range for the 2017 Youth World Championships nationwide camp. She has not appeared again since then.
“It’s going to become easier for me to train. My family’s financial problems are now taken care of. I can focus completely on training now,” mentioned Nitu. Her father, Jai Bhagwan, took loans and offered his automobile to fund his daughter’s boxing desires.
The different gold winner of the day, Saweety, additionally from Haryana, has had an extended profession. At 30, that is her second World Championship medal, after profitable a silver in 2014. For the previous few years, she was within the 75-kg class, the place she didn’t win medals. But shifting again to the 81-kg class has received her a second Worlds medal.
Earlier a state-level Kabaddi participant, the Hisar resident turned to boxing on the insistence of her father. Her sister, Siwi Boora, can be a boxer; her husband, Deepak Hooda, is a Pro Kabaddi League participant.
For Saweety, the added motivation was that she was by no means actually thought of for Olympic classes within the Indian system. Her mild heavyweight class shouldn’t be part of the 2024 Paris Olympics programme, however her household hopes that this gold will assist her qualify within the 75-kg class.
“I am thrilled after fulfilling my dream of becoming the world champion,” mentioned Saweety.
