Veterans Shiva Thapa, Deepak Bhoria, and Nishant Dev are among the nine Indian boxers set to compete for slots at the Paris Olympics during the 1st World Qualification Tournament beginning on March 3 in Busto Arsizio, Italy. The team, comprising seven men and two women, seeks Olympic qualification through the tournament organized by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU), a special committee established by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board.
All eyes on Paris Olympics quota
With 49 Olympic spots available, reaching the semifinals guarantees a boxer's participation in Paris. However, in the women's 60kg category, a special box-off among the semifinal losers will determine the three available Olympic spots.
Many elite boxers, including Colombia's Yuberjen Martinez and Japan's Tomoya Tsuboi in the men's 51kg, Kazakhstan's world champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan in 57kg, and Olympic silver medalist Yoel Finol of Venezuela, aim to secure their Olympic berths in Italy.
Leading India's charge are 2023 world championship medalists Bhoria (51kg), Mohammed Hussamudin (57kg), and Dev (71kg), with Bhoria and Dev having shown remarkable form in their categories over the past year.
Hussamudin, a two-time Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, returns to action after a knee surgery, his first bout since last year's world championships.
Great expectations from Shiva Thapa
Great expectations rest on six-time Asian Championship medalist Thapa (63.5kg) and former Asian champion Sanjeet (92kg), along with super heavyweight hopeful Narender Berwal (+92kg), who nearly secured an Olympic quota at the Asian Games, the continent's first qualifier.
In the women's division, Jaismine Lamboria faces a challenge in the 60kg category, especially after intense competition from Simranjit Kaur at the nationals. CWG bronze medalist Lamboria must elevate her performance for a shot at qualification.
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Ankushita Boro (66kg), given the nod over Arundhati Choudhary who bested her in the December nationals, represents another hopeful for India.
Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg), and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) have already booked their tickets to Paris.
This event in Italy is not the final opportunity for boxers to qualify for Paris, with the last qualifying round scheduled for May-June in Thailand.
India's representation at the Tokyo Olympics included nine boxers, with Borgohain securing a bronze medal.
India's squad:
Women's squad: Jaismine Lamboria (60kg), Ankushita Boro (66kg).
Men's squad: Deepak Bhoria (51kg), Mohammed Hussamudin (57kg), Shiva Thapa (63.5kg), Nishant Dev (71kg), Lakshya Chahar (80kg), Sanjeet (92kg), Narender Berwal (+92kg).
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