Credit: Twitter
On September 30, Saturday, Preeti Pawar won her quarter-final bout against Zhaina Shekerbekova of Kazakhstan by 4-1 on points, in the women’s boxing 54kg category at the Asian Games 2023. With this impressive triumph in Hangzhou against a tough opponent, the 19-year-old has secured a medal for India along with the quota for the Paris Olympics next year.
Follow: Asian Games 2023 Medal Tally
Pawar and Shekerbekova were involved in an intense battle in the first two rounds of their women’s 54kg quarter-final bout. The judges gave the first two rounds to the Indian by split decision, while she got the better of the Kazak opponent in the third round to make her way through to the semi-final .
The final scorecard from the judges read (28-29, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27, 30-27) in favour of Preeti Pawar, for her to ensure a medal for India in the women’s 54 category. With that, she became the second women’s boxer from the country in the ongoing Asiad, after the two time world champion Nikhat Zareen, to get the quota for Paris 2024.
In another quarter-final in the women’s boxing 54kg category, Yuan Chang of China defeated Wen Hsiao Huang of Chinese Taipei by 5-0 on points. She could be the upcoming opponent for Preeti Pawar in the semi-final of the Asian Games 2023.
