Amits chance finally arrived once Irish High Performance director Bernard Dunne resigned after none of the male boxers (selected on the basis of the evaluation method that he devised) failed to qualify for the Games with less than two months to go for the Olympics.’
Ever since the 28-year-old secured the Olympic quota at the Hangzhou Asian Games in October last year, she has had her eye set on the biggest prize in her sport.
The journey, however, hasn’t been a cakewalk for the 22-year-old pugilist, a regular in the 60kg weight division as she had to overcome an extra hurdle to book herself a ticket to the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Siwach started the proceedings for India with a clinical 5-0 win over Olympian Batuhan Ciftci of Turkey in the pre-quarterfinal round and Sanjeet then saw off the challenge from Luis Sanchez of Venezuela with an identical margin in the Round of 32.
World youth champion Ankushita Boro prevailed over Namuun Monkhor of Mongolia while Abhimanyu Loura lost to Ireland’s Kelyn Cassidy at the World Olympic Boxing Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand.
Parveen, who had secured a Paris 2024 Olympics boxing quota after winning the bronze medal in 57kg weight class in Hangzhou, was handed a 22-month suspension by the International Testing Agency (ITA) for a whereabouts failure.
In the wake of boxer Parveen Hooda’s suspension, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) in consultation with Boxing Paris Unit, had ensured that country will have another chance to qualify for the women’s 57kg weight category.
Besides two gold medals, Indian boxers won two silver and eight bronze medals to better their last edition’s record of five medals.
Parveen, who bagged an Olympic quota in the women’s 57kg weight category during the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, failed to file her whereabouts in the period from April 2022 to March 2023 as per the WADA rules.
Reigning world champion Nikhat Zareen registered a dominating 5-0 win over local favourite Tomiris Myrzakul to enter the women’s 52kg final at the Elorda Cup in Astana, Kazakhstan.
