"Never seen her in tears" - Fans heartbroken as Nikhat Zareen bows out Paris Olympics 2024 following loss to Wu Yu
India fans were left disappointed as one of their biggest medal prospects in boxing, Nikhat Zareen crashed out of the the Paris 2024 Olympics. Facing top-seed China's Wu Yu in the women's 50kg category pre-quarterfinal, Zareen lost 0-5 to bring an end to her debut Olympic campaign.
The fans took to Twitter to not only voice their disappointment but share some encouraging words for the two-time world champion, who was reportedly in tears following the loss.
"Nikhat Zareen couldn't control her emotions in the mix zone. I've never seen Nikhat in tears. You are a fighter Nikhat. We are proud of you. The entire country is with you," wrote a fan on X.
"Nikhat Zareen lost to Seed No.1 Wu Yu 0-5 in Round of 16 Women's Boxing. Well Fought Nikhat, India proud of you," wrote another fan.
"Nikhat Zareen’s elim comes as a shock tbh. She was a sure shot medal contender," a third fan quipped.
"It is so painful to see Nikhat in Tears. We are so proud of you Nikhat Zareen. You fought really very well. You are a Champion. We are always with you" added another.
"Chin up Girl!! - Warrior you are," added another fan.
"@nikhat_zareen girl,you have so much potential. Following your journey since 4 years , I already assumed that you will bring the medal in #Paris2024Olympic. I have never been saddened like this for anyone. But We believe in you . You are gonna rock the world. You played well," wrote another fan on X.
Nikhat Zareen lose to China's Wu Yu 5-0 at Paris Olympics 2024
Nikhat, one of India’s top medal hopefuls, faced immense pressure from the very start against reigning flyweight world champion Wu Yu. The Chinese quickly asserted dominance, leveraging her exceptional footwork to switch stances and evade Nikhat’s counter-attacks effectively. Despite her efforts, Nikhat struggled to land significant blows, trailing 1-4 after the first round.
In the second round, Nikhat showed signs of recovery, managing to land a few straight punches. However, Yu's sharp hooks found their target, keeping the pressure on the Indian boxer. Nikhat ended the round with some body shots, but it wasn’t enough to shift the momentum in her favor.
The third round saw Nikhat's desperate attempts to connect with Yu, but the latter's agile movements continued to frustrate her. Yu's strategic footwork and quick stance changes proved too much for Nikhat to overcome as she eventually lost her bout 0-5.
Earlier in the tournament, Nikhat had powered into the women’s 50kg pre-quarterfinals with a hard-fought victory over Germany’s Maxi Carina Kloetzer.