Shiv, Jasmine to lead 9-member boxing contingent in first world qualification for Paris 2024 Loktej Sports News

New Delhi, 22 January (HS). Six-time Asian Championships medalist Shiv Thapa and 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Jasmine will lead the Indian challenge at the World Qualification Tournament. The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Monday announced a nine-member squad for the first World Qualification Tournament for the Paris Olympic Games 2024. The World Qualification Tournament is scheduled to take place in Busto Arsizio, Italy from February 29 to March 12.

Apart from Thapa (63.5kg) and Jasmine (60kg), youth world champion Ankushita Boro (66kg), defending national champion Lakshya Chahar (80kg), Sanjeet Kumar (92kg), 2022 Asian Games bronze medalist Narendra Berwal (92kg), 2023 World Championship bronze medalist Mohammad Hussamuddin (57kg), Deepak Bhoria (51kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) will also fight for Paris 2024 quotas in their respective categories.

According to the release issued by BFI, the players have been selected after a comprehensive evaluation process conducted by the High Performance Unit on the basis of various performance parameters.

There will be 50 Olympic quota places in the first World Qualification Tournament, including 22 in the women’s category, while 45 to 51 boxers will qualify through the second World Qualification Tournament to be held in Bangkok from May 23 to June 3. Countries that have not qualified an athlete for a specific weight category through their continental qualification tournament or prior World Qualification Tournament will be eligible to enter one athlete per weight category.

BFI Secretary General Hemant Kumar Kalita said, “Our objective is to maximize India’s participation at the Paris Olympic Games 2024 and to achieve this, we have undertaken a thorough and careful selection process for the first World Qualification Tournament. The team conducted a detailed evaluation process, scored the boxers and selected those with the highest marks. We are confident that these boxers have the potential to not only compete but also win and achieve the coveted spot at the Olympics. The potential is there.”

India has already secured four quotas for Paris 2024 with impressive performances from Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) at the Asian Games.