look news india
New Delhi, July 26 (HS). World Championship bronze medalist Nishant Dev (71 kg) has got a favorable draw while other Indian boxers have got tough draws in the boxing competition of the Paris Olympics starting on Saturday at the North Paris Arena.
World champions Nikhat Zareen (50kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) will have to work hard to get anywhere close to a medal. Former world silver medallist Amit Panghal (51kg) could have a tougher task.
Nishant has got a bye and will face Rodriguez Tenorio of Ecuador in his first match. If Nishant gets past the Ecuadorian player, he could face Mexico's Pan American Games champion Merco Verde in the quarter-finals.
Nikhat will face Germany's Maxi Klotzer in the first round. If she advances to the second round, Nikhat will have to face top seeded Chinese Asian Games champion and 52kg world champion Wu Yue.
A win over Wu could pit Nikhat against another strong opponent, eighth seed Asian Games silver medallist Chuthamat Raksat of Thailand, who defeated the Indian in the Asian Games semi-finals.
Eighth seeded world champion Lovlina, the 69kg Tokyo bronze medallist, will take on Norway's Sunniva Hofstede in the first round. If Lovlina makes it to the second round, she is likely to face old rival and top seed two-time Olympic medallist Li Qian, who defeated the Indian in the Asian Games gold medal match.
Lovlina’s win raises the possibility of a duel with fifth seed world silver medallist Caitlin Parker of Australia or fourth seed world champion Khadija El-Mardi of Morocco in the quarterfinals.
Panghal has received a bye in the first round and will face Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and African Games champion Patrick Chinemba of Zambia in the second round.
The experienced Indian, who defeated Chinyemba in the semi-finals on his way to the Commonwealth gold medal, will face Olympian and Asian Games silver medallist Thitisan Panmot of Thailand in the quarter-finals if he gets past Zambia.
Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar, who had health issues during the camp in Saarbrucken, will fight Vietnam's Vo Thi Kim Anh and world silver medallist Yeny Arias of Colombia in the first round. A win could set up Preeti's clash against Korean Olympian Im A-Ji in the 54kg last-eight.
Jasmine Lamboria will have a tough task as she will take on Olympic silver medallist Philippines' Nesthy Petecio in the opening match of her campaign in 57kg. If she pulls off the upset, she will next face French Women's European Games gold medallist Aminia Zidani.
