At the recently concluded World Boxing Championships, Indian women made history as they won four medals — two gold, one silver, and one bronze, held under the new body ‘World Boxing’ in Liverpool, England. On the other hand, the Indian men concluded their campaign without a single medal for the first time in 12 years. The two new world champions in the women’s category are Meenakshi Hooda (48 kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg), respectively.
Here’s what we know so far about the World Boxing Championships this year.
Historic Performance of Indian Women in the World Boxing Championships
This year, the World Boxing Championships was held from September 4 to September 14 at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool, England, and it turned out to be a historic one for the Indians, as the Indian women made history by winning four medals in different weight classes. The championship featured over 550 boxers from more than 65 countries competing across different weight classes, and it was also the first competition to feature both men and women in the event.
Boxer | Weight Class | Medal |
Jaismine Lamboria | 57 kg | Gold |
Meenakshi Hooda | 48 kg | Gold |
Nupur Sheoran | 80+ kg (Non-Olympic) | Silver |
Pooja Rani | 80 kg (Non-Olympic) | Bronze |
Among the four medals won by the Indian women, Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg) and Meenakshi Hooda (48 kg) led from the front and clinched the gold medals for their country. Jaismine defeated Poland’s Olympic silver medalist Julia Szeremeta, while Meenakshi surprised three-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Nazym Kyzaibay in the final to win the gold.
In addition to this, the two medals, silver and bronze, were also secured by Indian women. Nupur Sheoran won silver in the 80 + kg division, and Pooja Rani won bronze in the 80 kg division, both in non-Olympic weight classes. The four medals made India third on the table of medals after boxing giants Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Following the win, the gold medalist at the World Boxing Championships, Jaismine, said, “This is the first edition of the World Championships conducted under World Boxing, and I’m very happy to be crowned world champion.”
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A Disappointment for Indian Men
Despite the Indian women scripting their name in the history books, it was not an ideal tournament for men, as they concluded the World Boxing Championships campaign medalless for the first time in 12 years. It was a disappointing moment for the men, yet they were humbled by how the lack of international exposure can lead to drastic changes in the result.
As compared to the boxing championship at Tashkent in 2023, where the Indian men managed to bag three bronze medals, the performance at the World Boxing Championships was not up to par.
However, the medalless competition for Indian men can be observed from one side when experienced boxers and former medalists like Amit Panghal, Deepak Bhoria, and Shiva Thapa were replaced by the young boxers. Among the young and promising talents, only Jadumani Singh (50 kg) and Abhinash Jamwal (65 kg) reached the quarter-finals of the World Boxing Championships. Similarly, Sachin Siwach, Jadumani, and Pawan Bartwal displayed flashes of talent, though they did not manage to shine throughout the tournament.
The men’s category was tougher compared to the women’s category since the competition featured competitive nations such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, represented by their boxers who had already received exposure in various international contests. The Indian men, however, had participated in very few tournaments since the Paris Olympics because of federation decisions, which were detrimental to their rhythm and training.
Pankaj Kapoor’s Take
From a writer’s perspective, it is a proud moment for the Indian audience as the women managed to win four medals at the recently concluded World Boxing Championships, with two gold, one silver, and one bronze. Despite the lack of international exposure and competition, the women proved to the world why they belong in the competition and what potential they bring to the table.
Meenakshi Hooda (48 kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg) have certainly shocked the world with their exceptional performance, while the other two women did their best to win but did not succeed. On the other hand, the Indian men did not win any medals for the first time in 12 years. Having been replaced by the experienced boxers, the young and promising talents lacked the composure and patience required for such high-level competition.
Nevertheless, it was a good lesson for Indian athletes at the World Boxing Championships, who are expected to improve in the upcoming competitions.
