Assam’s Nikshita Konwar continued the state’s strong run-in women’s boxing, clinching gold at the 8th Men’s and Women’s National Youth Boxing Championship that concluded at Sonapur in Guwahati on Sunday. Competing in the Under-19 category at the Don Bosco University Hall, Nikshita edged past Haryana’s Vanshika 3-2 in the girls’ 65kg final.
The Assam boxer won the opening two rounds of a closely fought bout. While Vanshika responded strongly in the third round, Nikshita held her composure and defended well to seal the victory. The gold marked a significant milestone as Nikshita secured her first national junior title. She had reached the final after a 4-1 win over an Andhra Pradesh boxer in the semifinal. Hosts Assam finished with two medals. Sandeep Basumatary claimed bronze after losing in the boys’ 80kg semifinal.
The championship was organized by the Assam Amateur Boxing Association (AABA) with support from the Boxing Federation of India. AABA president Siddhartha Bhattacharya and Secretary Hemanta Kumar Kalita, along with other office-bearers, congratulated the medal winners. Both Nikshita and Sandeep have been selected for the national high-performance camp following their performances.