Blurb
Preeti Pawar entered the Commonwealth Games women’s 54 kg final with a dominant semifinal victory and vowed to overcome the challenges of weight cutting to win gold for India.
Glasgow
Indian boxer Preeti Pawar has assured the nation that she will give her best to win the gold medal after storming into the women’s 54 kg final at the Commonwealth Games. The young pugilist secured her place in the title clash with a commanding 5-0 victory over Zambia’s Catherine Mwape in the semifinal on Friday.
Preeti will now face Canada’s Scarlett Delgado in the gold medal bout after becoming the first Indian boxer to enter a final at the ongoing Games. The semifinal showcased her tactical brilliance as she dominated the contest with sharp jabs, accurate left-hand punches and effective movement inside the ring.
After an evenly contested opening phase, Preeti took complete control of the bout, forcing Mwape into a standing eight-count before landing a series of combinations that resulted in two more standing counts. She continued to outmanoeuvre her opponent with clean body shots and quick footwork to seal a unanimous victory.
Speaking after the win, Preeti revealed the physical and mental challenges of cutting weight before important bouts. She admitted that the process is difficult because boxers cannot eat properly, but said it serves as motivation, reminding them that they are just one step away from achieving their goal.
The Indian boxer has already guaranteed herself at least a silver medal but remains focused on winning gold. She also thanked the Indian Army, Boxing Federation of India, Sports Authority of India and JSW Sports for their constant support. Preeti, who became the first woman athlete to be directly inducted into the Indian Army as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), said she hopes to make both the nation and the armed forces proud with a gold medal-winning performance.
Pointers:
- Defeated Zambia’s Catherine Mwape 5-0 in semifinal.
- To face Canada’s Scarlett Delgado in the final.
- Weight-cutting remains the toughest part of preparation.
- Assured India of at least a silver medal.
- Thanked Indian Army, BFI, SAI and JSW Sports for their support.