Hyderabad,. After India made a formal bid to host the 2036 Olympics, twotime world champion boxer Nikhat Zareen said the bid will motivate players but also called for setting up the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in every state to promote overall sports development. ) stressed the need to establish a centre, which is necessary for such a prestigious event in the country.
The ambitious plan to bring the world's biggest sporting event to India has received strong support from the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly expressed his intention to bring the Olympics to India in 2036.
Nikhat told , “India hosting the 2036 Olympics will be a big inspiration for the athletes. If we want to host big events like the Olympics, I believe there should be SAI centers in every state. Present In, there are only regional centres. If I need training, I have to go to Rohtak, Guwahati, Aurangabad or wherever these centers are located.”
She said, “If I have to struggle so much to get training, imagine the challenges for young kids preparing with 2036 in mind. I may be retired by 2036 (she joked), but It will be very challenging for them to convince their parents to send them so far for training. If there is a SAI center with good coaches, it will benefit everyone, and we at the grassroots level. We will be able to focus on the athletes.
Nikhat, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Telangana Police, further suggested that there should be multifacility stadiums in every state to help young athletes train in better infrastructure. “Along with this, there should be a good stadium in every state capital and there should be a policy to support young athletes who are not financially stable from the grassroots level by sponsoring their equipment, providing quality coaches and By providing them access to facilities, we can give them a solid push that will help them reach senior levels and possibly make the nation proud.”
However, Nikhat's hopes of winning a medal on her Olympic debut in Paris were quickly dashed when she lost to China's Wu Yu by unanimous decision in the round of 16 of the women's 50 kg boxing event.
Speaking about the Paris campaign, the twotime world champion and Asian Games bronze medalist said, “There was no pressure because I had won many competitions before, where no one expected me to win. Paris was my first It was the Olympics and I was unseeded, I had only two main competitors in my weight category – the Turkish boxer (Busenaz Cakiroglu) and the Chinese.”
She further added, “I had beaten the Turkish boxer before, but I had no prior experience against the Chinese boxer, so I was ignorant. I had only watched him play, but had not sparred with him. Unfortunately , In Paris, I had to face a Chinese boxer in the second round itself, due to which I was eliminated from the competition early.
Nikhat said, “More than the loss, I was saddened that the medals went to boxers whom I had defeated earlier. It was really heartbreaking that I could not win a medal in the Olympics despite being a twotime world champion. “
Talking about recovering from her defeat at the Olympics, the Telangana boxer said, “It was not easy”, as everyone “becomes a coach when they lose” and starts giving their expert advice.
“When you win, everyone comes to congratulate you. I noticed that after Paris, very few people reached out to you. It's sad to see people celebrating your win, but that's when you really need support. Then they disappear. However, I have realized that this is a part of life.
“More than anyone else's expectations, it was my own expectations that weighed heavily on me, and I felt sad that I couldn't meet them. In the past, I have faced challenges, overcome them, and came back stronger. This time, I will come back stronger mentally, physically and emotionally. “I am moving forward slowly,” the 28yearold boxer said.
“I don't have a personal coach right now, but I am not putting any pressure on myself. I will take my time and make a steady comeback,” said Nikhat, who is training at the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad.
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Image Credit: KhasKhabar.