New Delhi: World Championships bronze medallist Nishant Dev became the first Indian male pugilist to secure a quota place for the Paris Olympics after he got the better of Moldova’s Vasile Cebotari 5-0 in the quarterfinals of the men’s 71kg category at the Boxing World Qualifiers in Bangkok on Friday. Nishant’s victory marked the country’s fourth boxing quota for Paris after Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Hooda (54kg) and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) confirmed their berths by winning medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year. Two other Indian boxers – Amit Panghal (men’s 51kg) and Sachin Siwach (57kg) – are also a win away from confirming their Paris berth after packing off their rivals in comprehensive fashion.
Birmingham CWG gold medallist Panghal outpunched South Korea’s Kim Inkyu 5-0 in his pre-quarterfinal bout to keep his qualifying hopes alive. A win in the last-eight will secure him the quota place. Siwach, too, inched closer to sealing his Olympic berth after outclassing 2021 World championships bronze medallist, France’s Samuel Kistohurry, 4-1 in the quarterfinals.
However, with only three quota places on offer in the 57kg category, he needs to win one more bout to qualify for Paris. Nishant, who had missed out on qualification in the first qualifier in Italy was the first to achieve the goal. In the evening session, Panghal came out all guns blazing to humble Kim in all three rounds while Siwach continued to put up a r.
