Now Reading: Sakshi Chaudhary drops weight class, wins CWG gold
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Sakshi Chaudhary drops weight class, wins CWG gold
Boxer Sakshi Chaudhary dropped from 54kg to 51kg in May, beating world champions Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi in trials before winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She made the switch…
The Story in Brief
Boxer Sakshi Chaudhary dropped from 54kg to 51kg in May, beating world champions Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi in trials before winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She made the switch after Preeti Pawar and Jaismine Lamboria had locked the higher weight classes for India.
Coach Chhote Lal Yadav put her on a strict diet, cutting her favourite churma, and set a target of losing 500 grams each week. Former coach Bhaskar Bhatt said Sakshi's footwork and stamina improved at the lower weight. She now aims for the Asian Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Indian Opinion
Sakshi's decision to drop to 51kg, where she beat two world champions in trials, turns the usual narrative of Indian boxers struggling with weight cuts on its head. The lazy story is that our boxers lack tactical nous; here, she used her height and endurance to outbox stronger opponents. Coach Yadav's scientific approach, a weekly 500gm loss, not crash dieting, deserves more attention. The real test comes at the Asian Games, where Sakshi will face Uzbek and Kazakh boxers who are just as fit. Can she maintain that edge without the home advantage?
Source: hindustantimes.com
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