India’s Nikhat Zareen’s Olympic run ends with loss

India's Nikhat Zareen was eliminated from the 2024 Paris Olympics in the women's 50kg boxing Round of 16 after a 0-5 loss to China's top-seeded Wu Yu. Wu, the reigning flyweight world champion and Asian Games winner, received a bye in the first round and faced Zareen on Thursday.

Zareen, 28, lost by unanimous decision. She was unseeded for the Games because the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which oversees the boxing competition, does not recognise the International Boxing Association (IBA), which organises the world championship.

Considered one of India's strongest medal hopefuls, Zareen faced immediate pressure from Wu, who was quick to dominate in the opening round. Despite Zareen's attempts to counter-attack, she struggled to connect effectively due to Wu's exceptional footwork, allowing her to switch stances and evade Zareen’s blows.

Trailing 1-4, Zareen managed to find some rhythm in the second round, landing a few straight punches. However, Wu countered with powerful hooks that hit Zareen's face. Zareen ended the round with several body shots but could not overcome Wu's defensive strategy.

The third round saw Zareen continue her attempts to land punches but to no avail, as Wu's agile movements kept her out of reach. Wu Yu's performance secured her a convincing victory, leaving Zareen out of medal contention at the Paris Olympics.