Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen bagged gold in women's flyweight category, defeating Northern Ireland's Carly McNaul in the finals at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) on August 7.
Zareen, who had won all bouts of the tournament ahead of the final match, ended up defeating McNaul with a score of 5-0.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded her win on social media, describing her as "India's pride" and a "world class athlete". "I congratulate her on winning a Gold medal at the CWG. Excelling in various tournaments, she has shown great consistency," he said.
Nikhat Zareen is India’s pride. She is a world class athlete who is admired for her skills. I congratulate her on winning a Gold medal at the CWG. Excelling in various tournaments, she has shown great consistency. Best wishes for her future endeavours. #Cheer4India @nikhat_zareen pic.twitter.com/Wi6zRp26nU— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 7, 2022
Zareen's victory takes India's cumulative tally of gold medals at the Birmingham games to 17, placing the country at the fourth spot, behind Australia, England and Canada.
Zareen had stormed into the finals of flyweight or 50kg category after defeating England's Stubley Alfia Savannah 5-0 in the semi-finals.
The victory at CWG 2022 marks the second major title for Zareen this year. The 26-year-old had clinched gold at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in May. "To be a world champion is the biggest medal for me. Par sab ki jagah alag hai (every medal has its own significance). It's like I can't keep my parents separate and both are equal, dad or mom," she had told news agency PTI ahead of her square-off against McNaul.
Zareen's victory comes on a day when the Indian contingent witnessed a gold rush. Boxers Amit Panghal and Nitu Gang won the top prize in men's flyweight and women's minimumweight category, respectively, and Eldhose Paul bagged the gold medal in men's triple jump.
Apart from winning 17 gold medals so far, India has also claimed 12 silvers and 19 bronzes at CWG, taking the overall medal tally to 48.
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