We Feel Proud Of Our Achievements And Our Government Recognising It, Says Pooja Rani

We feel proud of our achievements and our government recognising it, says Pooja Rani (Image Source: IANS)

Vijay Pathik Sports Complex: Gold medallist Jaismine Lamboria extended her gratitude to the government after India’s women boxers registered their best-ever performance abroad at the 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool.

“I would extend my gratitude to the government for felicitating us for our achievements,” Lamboria said at an event in Noida after sealing a historic campaign for India with a gold in the women’s 57kg category.

Lamboria opened India’s gold medal tally with a convincing 4:1 win over Paris Olympics silver medallist Julia Szeremeta of Poland. Soon after, Minakshi Hooda (48kg) added another glittering gold by beating Kazakhstan’s three-time world champion and Paris Olympics bronze medallist Nazym Kyzaibay, also by a 4:1 verdict. Both boxers were appearing in their maiden finals on the world stage but showed remarkable composure against far more decorated opponents.

In addition to the two gold medals, Nupur (80+kg) clinched silver after narrowly losing 3:2 to Poland’s experienced Agama Kaczmarska in a high-intensity bout. Pooja Rani (80kg) settled for bronze following a 1:4 semifinal defeat to England’s Emily Asquith.

Reflecting on the campaign, Pooja Rani said: “We feel proud of our achievements and our government recognising it. We want to thank our government for honouring us. We feel really motivated and proud. We will play in our respective categories for the upcoming World Boxing Championship. I would like to advise the youngsters to keep working hard in whichever field they are in and not to forget their goal.”

Earlier, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president Ajay Singh described the Liverpool performance as a turning point. “The performances in Liverpool, where our women boxers defeated some of the world’s best, underline that Indian boxing is on a decisive upward curve. In recent months, we have implemented athlete-first policies, and these results validate that approach. This success gives us the confidence to push ahead with further reforms and new initiatives to empower our athletes. These women boxers are our future Olympic champions,” he said.

Olympic medallist Vijender Singh also praised the achievement and the recognition that followed. “Government felicitating the boxers who have won medals is a great step toward empowering the sport and women’s involvement. I would like to thank the secretary of the federation for the huge step. I would also like to thank the government for organising the World Boxing Championship in Noida,” he said.

With two gold medals, one silver, and one bronze, India’s women carved out a landmark chapter at the inaugural championships under the newly formed World Boxing Organisation.

Olympic medallist Vijender Singh also praised the achievement and the recognition that followed. “Government felicitating the boxers who have won medals is a great step toward empowering the sport and women’s involvement. I would like to thank the secretary of the federation for the huge step. I would also like to thank the government for organising the World Boxing Championship in Noida,” he said.

The tournament will witness the participation of around 450 boxers from more than 80 countries, supported by nearly 150 officials, making it one of the largest gatherings of global boxing talent on Indian soil. Adding to the significance, the World Boxing Congress will also take place on November 23, bringing together key stakeholders and decision-makers of the sport during the competition.

Article Source: IANS