Nikhat Zareen Exits Olympic Games with Upsetting Loss to Wu Yu
Paris – Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen, competing in the 50kg weight class, faced a surprising exit from the Olympic Games following a decisive defeat to Wu Yu of China. The bout, held on Thursday, saw Zareen, who entered the match as an unseeded competitor, fall to Yu with a unanimous 5-0 score.
Zareen, making her Olympic debut, struggled to find her rhythm against Yu, the reigning flyweight (52kg) world champion. Yu had received a bye in the opening round, which allowed her to advance directly to this match. Despite Zareen’s strong performance in the opening round where she defeated Germany’s Maxi Karina Kloetzer, she was unable to overcome the formidable challenge presented by Yu.
The defeat was particularly disheartening given Zareen’s status as one of India’s leading medal prospects for the Games. Her unexpected elimination marks a significant setback in her Olympic journey.
