“Nikhat made the entire country proud with her gold in the Women’s World championship today. This victory is dedicated to all those millions of Indians who supported her right through her journey,” said a jubilant father Mohd. Jameel Ahmed after Nikhat Zareen became the new women’s World boxing champion on Sunday in Istanbul (Turkey).
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“Well, after the Strandja international championship gold this year (after beating Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Buse Naz Cakiroglu in the semifinal), she sounded very confident. That win changed her mindset. She was telling repeatedly that she can beat anyone in the world if everything goes according to a plan,” Jameel recalled.
“We are grateful to all the coaches, Sports Authority of India, Union Sports Ministry, Telangana State Government, who have helped Nikhat realise her dream,” he said.
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Parveen Sultana, mother of the newly-crowned Women’s World Boxing Champion Nikhat Zareen, being offered sweets by her second daughter Anjum Meenaz, at her residence, in Hyderabad, on Thursday. Photo: Special Arrangement
For her part, mother Parveen Sultana, who watched the final at home with her daughters, was understandably elated too.
“This is the day we have been waiting for quite some time. This is the greatest moment for our entire family and we are glad that Nikhat brought laurels to the country,” she said.
“It has never been easy to groom her into a champion boxer. There were many instances when many, including friends and relatives, made fun of us. But, it was our self-belief that made us support Nikhat’s cause and all the efforts apparently paid off,” she said, soaking in the celebrations.