India’s High Performance Director (HPD) Bernard Dunne confirmed on Saturday that star boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovina Borgohain have qualified for the Asian Games, which will also be the first Olympic qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Games. held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, the policy of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) states that “Athletes who achieve gold/silver at world championships are automatically selected for the first Olympic qualifier at the Asian Games. “
It means that Nikhat (50 kg) and Lovlina (75 kg), who have reached the light flyweight and middleweight finals of the ongoing World Championships respectively, have qualified for the continental event.
“Those who win gold or silver here (at the World Championships) are the automatic selection for the Asian Games,” Dunne told reporters.
At the Asian Games, female boxers compete in five weight categories: 51 kg, 57 kg, 60 kg, 69 kg and 75 kg. While the Olympic Games have six weight classes: 50 kg, 54 kg, 57 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg and 75 kg.
This means that the world champion Nitu Ghanghas (48 kg) and Saweety Boora (81 kg), who also reached the final, will be standby boxers if they decide to move to an Olympic weight class.
“Anyone who changes weight categories is going to have to finish second or third. But just in case something happens to those who qualified, we want our numbers two and three ready,” said Dunne.
He also claimed that the new evaluation process is here to stay.
The BFI has abolished the selection tests. Under the new policy, created in conjunction with Dunne, boxers will instead have to undergo an evaluation process.
In the run-up to the ongoing Women’s World Championships, there was much ado about the new policy with three boxers in the national camp – Manju Rani, Shiksha Narwal and Poonam Poonia – even going off the track due to their non-selection.
“There’s no plan for selection trials in my opinion,” Dunne said.
Speaking of the new policy, Dunne added: “The most important thing was to give clarity to the athletes.
“Trials was the old system, but that’s just one moment… three rounds of three minutes decided by judges. But in this new system, we, the coaches and I, watch them day in and day out. God forbid someone gets sick, or something happens during the trials.” Asked if he will encourage boxers to switch to Olympic categories ahead of the Paris Games, Dunne said: “We want to make our athletes stronger, some may want to change weight categories, others may not, that’s fine too,” Dunne said. said.
Dunne has been in this role for a few months now and he feels like he’s had to answer some tough calls.
“The biggest challenge I’ve faced (after becoming the HPD) is the decisions I’ve had to make. For this tournament I’ve made 12 people happy, but 24 unhappy.
“I have no loyalty to anyone, no preference for any state. I come here with a clear focus on picking the best. It’s up to the athletes to show me and the coaches that you are the best. “
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