Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain lead the Indian challenge at the 75th Strandja Memorial Tournament

The Indian boxers took home eight medals, including three silver and five bronze, in the last edition of the tournament held in 2023.

Nikhat Zareen concentrates while training. (Image:

New Delhi: Reigning world champions Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain will lead the Indian challenge as the Boxing Federation of India has named the 19-member squad for the 75th Strandja Memorial Tournament to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria from February 3 to 11.

The Strandja Memorial Tournament is one of the oldest international sports competitions in Europe. With the intense competition in the presence of approximately 300 boxers from 30 countries, the tournament will be a great preparation for the Olympic Games in Paris.

Besides Nikhat (50kg) and Lovlina (75kg), Asian Games bronze medalist Preeti (54kg), World Championships bronze medalist Manisha (60kg), Asian Championships bronze medalist Sakshi (57kg) ) and national champion Arundhati Choudhary (66kg) have been included in the squad to participate in the women's section of the prestigious tournament.

The men's team, on the other hand, consists of 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Amit Panghal (51kg) along with the other national champions including Barun Singh Shagolshem (48kg), Lalit (54kg), Sachin (57kg), Akash Gorkha (60 kg). ), Rajat (67kg), Akash (71kg), Deepak (75kg), Jugnoo (86kg).

Vanshaj (63.5 kg), Abhimanyu Loura (80 kg), Naveen Kumar (92 kg) and Sagar (92+ kg) are the other four Indian male boxers who are also part of the squad. The Indian boxers finished with eight medals, including three silver and five bronze, in the last edition of the tournament held in 2023.

Zareen, a two-time world champion, won a bronze medal in the women's 50kg event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. She lost her semi-final against Thailand's Chuthamat Raksat with a 3:2 split decision.

Earlier, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) announced a training camp for boxers at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala in preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. A 13-day dynamic camp, which started on January 29 and will continue till February 10, is being organized with the aim of giving the boxers much-needed international exposure ahead of the crucial Olympic Games qualifiers.

Parveen (57kg), 2022 Asian Games and World Championships bronze medalist and Men's World Championships bronze medalists Deepak Bhoria (51kg), Mohammed Hussamuddin (57kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) are among the 30 Indian boxers including 13 women, who are part of the camp, which also includes seven male and five female boxers from England. Subsequently, four male boxers from Russia will also be part of the camp.

Reigning national champions Anamika (50kg), Sonia Lather (57kg), Jasmine (60kg) and Pooja Rani (75kg) are the other Indian women boxers participating in the camp. In the men's section, 2022 Asian Games bronze medalist Narender (92+kg) and reigning national champion Shiva Thapa (63.5kg), Lakshya Chahar (80kg) and Sanjeet (92kg) are part of the camp.

Indian team:

Gentlemen: Barun Singh Shagolshem (48 kg), Amit (51 kg), Lalit (54 kg), Sachin (57 kg), Akash Ramesh Gorkha (60 kg), Vanshaj (63.5 kg), Rajat (67 kg), Akash ( 71kg), Deepak (75kg), Abhimanyu Loura (80kg), Jugnoo (86kg), Naveen Kumar (92kg), Sagar (92+kg).

Women: Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti (54kg), Sakshi (57kg), Manisha (60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (66kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg).