Paris 2024: How did Nikhat Zareen perform at the Olympic Games?
Nikhat Zareen's journey in the Paris Olympics 2024 came to an end after losing to China's Wu Yu in the Round of 16 tie on Thursday, August 1. A medalist in numerous competitions worldwide, including the Birmingham Commonwealth Games (gold) and Hangzhou Asian Games (bronze), Zareen was preparing hard to fetch a medal at the Paris Games, her debut Olympics campaign.
However, after losing to Wu Yu 5:0 two days back, she had to bid adieu to the dream of winning an Olympic medal. In her first match, which was the Round of 32 clash, Nikhat Zareen got the better of Germany's Maxi Kloetzer, beating her 5:0. However, the Round of 16 tie saw her struggle and she admitted in her social media post that it was certainly the toughest defeat she faced.
What message did Nikhat Zareen have for the fans post-Paris Olympics exit?
Taking to social media, Nikhat Zareen has vowed to keep her dreams alive of an Olympic medal. She wrote on X:
"The Olympic dream I’ve cherished for so long didn’t unfold as I had hoped. After countless hours of training, sacrifices, and unwavering determination, this moment slipped through my fingers. This defeat is the hardest I’ve ever faced; it cuts deep and is almost unbearable. My heart is heavy, but it remains unbroken. I accept it with grace and will do my best to find a way forward in my life."
In 2019, Mary Kom was initially given an automatic entry to the Tokyo Games, but Zareen challenged that decision by the Boxing Federation of India. She wanted a fair chance to represent the nation and after the trials were held, she eventually lost out to Mary Kom. Post the Tokyo Games, Kom announced her retirement, and thus Nikhat Zareen earned the chance she had been waiting for.
However, an early exit from the Paris Olympics was something she never expected. She wrote in the post:
"Winning an Olympic medal was my greatest dream, and I fought with everything I had to get here. The Paris 2024 journey was filled with challenges—battling through a year of injury, struggling to reclaim my spot, fighting for the opportunity to compete, and overcoming countless obstacles, all for the chance to represent our country on this global stage."
"I’m deeply grateful for the chance to pursue my dream, but destiny had other plans. Not achieving it here in Paris is devastating. I wish I could turn back time and put in even more effort for a different outcome, but that remains a wish. I promise this isn’t the end. I’ll return home to recover and clear my mind. This dream is still alive, and I will continue to chase it with renewed passion. This is not goodbye but a promise to return, to fight harder, and to make you all proud. Thank you for standing by me. The journey continues," she added.
Nikhat Zareen is now expected to participate in the Asian Games in 2026 and also the next Olympics.