Indian boxers Preeti Pawar and Priya Ghanghas secure Commonwealth Games medals
Indian boxing has seen a strong performance at the Commonwealth Games, with Preeti Pawar and Priya Ghanghas each securing at least a bronze medal for the nation. Both boxers advanced to the semifinals in their respective weight categories, guaranteeing India two medals in the sport.
Preeti Pawar, a 22-year-old southpaw, delivered a dominant performance in the women’s 54kg category. She secured her semifinal spot with a 5-0 unanimous decision victory against Nicole Clyde of Northern Ireland. Pawar dictated the initial round with sharp movement and precise combinations, consistently breaking through her opponent’s guard. Judges awarded her the opening round, with four scorecards showing 10-9 and one 10-8 in her favour. She maintained this intensity in the second round, displaying superior speed, accuracy, and ringcraft, again sweeping all five judges’ scorecards.
With the outcome largely decided, Pawar remained composed in the final round, showcasing an impressive array of punches and excellent shot selection to complete a comprehensive unanimous-decision win. This marks Preeti Pawar’s first podium finish at the Commonwealth Games, adding to her previous Asian Games bronze medal. Her next challenge will be against Catherine Mwape of Zambia in the semifinals.
Preeti Pawar’s Journey to the Podium
Preeti Pawar’s recent success at the Commonwealth Games follows a period of significant challenges. After the Paris Games, she faced health concerns that kept her away from competitive action for an extended period, even requiring her to be bedridden in Germany for a time. During this difficult phase, her focus shifted from boxing to regaining her health.
Her coach and uncle, Vinod Kumar, noted that despite the tough moments, she did not lose hope and gradually recovered. Regaining her health was one task, and returning to competitive form was another, requiring her to rebuild her power and strength through a slow but persistent process. Her dedication has since yielded results, including a winning return at the World Cup Finals late last year, followed by a national crown earlier this year, and a gold medal at the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar.
Pawar’s journey in boxing began in 2017, and she was initially considered too frail for the sport. Despite the gruelling training sessions that tested her will daily, she persevered. Vinod Kumar recalled that even when conditioning exercises made her cry, she never gave up and consistently improved.
Earlier in the competition, Preeti Pawar had a spectacular start to her debut at the quadrennial event. She overpowered Deborah Mtenje of Malawi in the Round of 16, with the referee stopping the contest in the second round due to the one-sided nature of the bout. This strong beginning set the stage for her medal-winning performance.
Priya Ghanghas Secures Semifinal Berth
Following Preeti Pawar’s victory, Priya Ghanghas also advanced to the semifinals in the women’s 60kg category. Ghanghas, the reigning Asian champion who won gold at the Asian Championships in April in Ulaanbaatar, secured her spot after overcoming local favourite Niamh Mitchell of Scotland with a 4-1 split decision.
Ghanghas, who had received a first-round bye, demonstrated resilience after dropping the opening round. Mitchell had edged the first round with a 4-1 score on the judges’ cards. However, Ghanghas responded with increased aggression and cleaner punching in the subsequent rounds, claiming the second round by the identical 4-1 margin to seal her victory and guarantee a medal for India.
While Preeti Pawar and Priya Ghanghas celebrated their advancements, former Asian champion and World Championships bronze medallist Parveen Hooda was eliminated in the women’s 65kg quarterfinal. Hooda suffered a narrow 2-3 split-decision defeat to England’s Sacha Hickey. Despite finishing strongly and taking the final round, Hooda had lost the first two rounds on a majority of the scorecards, which was not enough to overturn the deficit.
The success of Preeti Pawar and Priya Ghanghas highlights a strong showing for India in the boxing events at the Commonwealth Games.
Source: m.rediff.com
