New Delhi: Indian women boxers delivered a stellar performance at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026, claiming four gold medals on Thursday. Minakshi Hooda (48kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Priya (60kg), and Arundhati Choudhary (70kg) were crowned continental champions, helping India emerge as the most successful nation in the women’s division with a total of 10 medals – four golds, two silvers, and four bronze.
On Thursday, Indian pugilists featured in six finals. World champion Minakshi Hooda added the continental crown to her accolades by defeating local favourite Nomundari Enkh-Amgalan 5-0. Preeti Pawar continued her brilliant run in the 54kg category, beating Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsiao-wen – a three-time world champion and Olympic bronze medallist – by a 5-0 score, olympics.com reported.
Priya clinched the 60kg gold with a 3-0 victory over North Korea’s Won Un-gyong, while Arundhati Choudhary secured the 70kg title, defeating Kazakhstan’s Bakyt Seidish 4-1.
World champion Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) and Alfiya Pathan (80+kg) settled for silver medals after losing to Thailand’s Punrawee Ruenros and Kazakhstan’s Dina Islambekova, respectively. Earlier, Nikhat Zareen (51kg), Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Olympian Pooja Rani (80kg), and Ankushita Boro (65kg) won bronze medals after semi-final defeats.
The achievement ensures all 10 Indian women competitors at Ulaanbaatar will return home with medals.
In the men’s category, Vishvanath Suresh (50kg) and Sachin Siwach (60kg) will contest Friday’s finals for gold, while Akash (75kg), Lokesh (85kg), Harsh Choudhary (90kg), and Narender Berwal (90+kg) have already secured bronze. India’s medal tally at the continental boxing meet stands at 16, the highest by any nation this year.
