New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated boxer Nikhat Zareen for clinching the coveted gold in flyweight (52kg) division at the Women's World Championship, only fifth Indian woman boxer to achieve the feat.
PM Modi said that Indian pugilists had made the people of the country proud.
Zareen lived up to the expectations as she clinched the coveted gold with a stunning 5-0 win over Thailand's Jitpong Jutamas in the final of the Women's World Championship in Istanbul on Thursday. Apart from Zareen's gold, Manisha Moun (57kg) and debutant Parveen Hooda (63kg) also won bronze medals.
"Our boxers have made us proud! Congratulations to @nikhat_zareen for a fantastic Gold medal win at the Women's World Boxing Championship," PM Modi tweeted.
"I also congratulate Manisha Moun and Parveen Hooda for their Bronze medals in the same competition," he said.
Capping off a stupendous campaign that saw her dominate all her rivals, the Telangana boxer out-punched her Thai opponent to win via unanimous verdict with judges scoring the bout 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27, 29-28 in her favour.
"I didn't expect to win (by such a big margin) in the final. I wanted to win unanimously," Zareen told reporters later.
"My aim was to play the first two round so that I win by unanimous decision and then relax in the third but I got a spilt decision score in the final so I had to go all out in the third round," she added.
With this win, Zareen, a 2019 Asian Championship bronze medallist, became only the fifth Indian boxer to be crowned world champion.
Six-time champion Mary Kom (2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2018), Sarita Devi (2006), Jenny RL (2006) and Lekha KC (2006) are the other pugilists who have won the world title.
This is India's first gold medal in four years. Mary Kom (48kg) had won the last title in 2018.