 "Preeti Pawar celebrates after defeating Italy's Sirine Charrabi to win gold in the women's 54kg category. Image credit: BFI")
Greater Noida: The World Boxing Cup Finals in Greater Noida witnessed a gold rush of sorts on the final day of the five-day competition, nearly all of them being accounted for by the women. Jaismine Lamboria and Minakshi Hooda carried on from where they left off in the World Championships in Liverpool, winning a second gold in as many events, while star pugilist Nikhat Zareen made a triumphant comeback after recent heartbreaks – including at last year’s Paris Olympics.
Among the nine gold medallists out of the 15 Indians in action on the final day was 22-year-old Preeti Pawar. Widely considered one of the most promising young talents in Indian boxing, especially after winning bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games two years ago, Preeti has had quite the journey to standing on top of the podium at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium in Greater Noida.
Back with a bang after defeating Hepatitis
Preeti, after all, had defeated Hepatitis-A before punching her way to gold at the World Boxing Cup Finals. She had been diagnosed with the disease while preparing for last year’s Paris Olympics and chose to compete in the elite event despite being hospitalised at one stage. And after exiting from the Olympics in the pre-quarter-finals, she was confined to a prolonged bedrest, forcing her to miss the flight to the UK for the World Championships in September.
“It was quite a challenging period back then as I wasn’t able to give my best during training, unable to give my hundred per cent. Would like to credit the medical staff, BFI, SAI, JSW Sports, for their support. They took care of my needs pertaining to health and nutrition,” Preeti told reporters after winning World Boxing Cup gold on Thursday, reflecting on the challenges that she faced away from the sport.
The Asian Games bronze medallist, however, bounced back in style at the World Boxing Cup Finals. After starting her campaign with a victory over Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamova, she stormed into the final with a stunning victory over Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsiao-wen, bronze medallist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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View AllAnd on Thursday, she registered a dominant 5-0 victory over Italy’s World Championship medalist Sirine Charrabi to win women’s 54kg gold, barely giving her opponent room to breathe with her face punches and superior footwork.
The clinical performance that she’s delivered in Greater Noida already has her setting her sights on the next Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, both of which will be taking place next year.
“Feeling great that I have made a comeback, feeling stronger than ever. Look forward to giving my best at the Asian Games, will start preparing for it right away. Setting my sights on LA 2028 as well,” Preeti continued.
“There will be a lot of competition next year with the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games taking place. Fully focused on preparing for that at the moment.
“Am able to perform at hundred per cent right now, and am hopeful I’ll be able to maintain my health going forward,” she added.
What further inspired her to victory was the deafening roar of the capacity crowd that had turned out at the Shaheed Vijay Pathik Singh Stadium for the final day of the event, with the “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “India! India” chants growing louder with each passing day.
For Preeti, who had only started competing at the senior level from 2022, it was the first time she was competing at an international event in front of her home crowd, the support further boosting her confidence.
“This is a great platform for me because I’m making a comeback after a long time. It’s also the first time I’m participating in an international event in India, so the support that I received here greatly boosted my confidence. Which is what helped me deliver my hundred per cent and win gold,” she added.
Carrying forward her family’s sporting legacy
Preeti’s journey as a bantamweight boxer has also had quite the support from her family. The 22-year-old hails from Haryana’s Bhiwani – a town that has also produced another iconic boxer in Vijender Singh, who had won the country’s first Olympic medal in the sport (bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics).
It is a region that is known for producing world-class sporting talent generation after generation, but whose society isn’t necessarily the most supportive when it comes to encouraging young girls to take up sport, especially as a career choice.
Preeti, however, faced no such difficulty in her childhood, especially since both of her parents happen to be former athletes. Her uncle Vinod, a former national level medallist himself, later played a key role in shaping her journey into boxing. The 21-year-old rising star thus is carrying forward her family’s rich sporting legacy.
“My family inspires me a lot. They’re the ones who motivated me to take up boxing,” Preeti signed off.
A Bombay Bong with an identity crisis. Passionately follow cricket. Hardcore fan of Team India, the Proteas and junk food. Self-proclaimed shutterbug.