Pugilist Nikhat to receive hero’s welcome today

Hyderabad: Telangana’s International Boxing Champion Nikhat Zareen, who kicked off her 2019 season on a high note by winning the 51kg gold at the 70th Strandja Memorial International Boxing Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, will be accorded warm reception on her arrival at Shamshabad Airport at 4pm on Monday from Delhi.

Nikhat, born and brought up in Hyderabad, is the first women boxer of Telangana to achieve gold medal at international level. The 22-year-old from Hyderabad, supported by JSW Sports, came through a stunning run of form during the competition, winning all her bouts with ease and toppling the Philippines’ Magno Irish 5-0 in the final to win her second international gold medal since recovering from a career threatening shoulder injury.

Nikhat created history by winning the first-ever gold for India, a press release said on Sunday. She beat Giovanna Marchese of Italy, Yana Burym of Belarus and Sandra Drabik of Poland on her way to the championship bout. Nearly 350 competitors from 42 countries took part in this tournament.

Sports Authority of Telangana, Olympic Association of Telangana, Boxing Association of Telangana and various other sportsmen have decided to give a rousing welcome to Nikhat Zareen at the airport.Nikhat is scheduled to meet Sports Minister V. Srinivas Goud at the Secretariat and is likely to meet Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao also.