It was, perhaps, just a coincidence or destiny, but that moment would prove to be the defining moment of life for the newly-minted flyweight world champion.
it all started when Mohamed JamiliA former footballer and cricketer, decided to take his daughters out to play on a summer evening.
He said, ‘I told them that we will play in the field so that they can learn something. Some went to play basketball, some went to play handball etc.’
“After watching for a few days I saw Nikhat’s body language and I knew she would be a sports person. So, I bought a tracksuit and told her that we will go to the train tomorrow.”
Jameel trained Nikhat for the 100m and 200m and had inherited his father’s sporting genes. She was a natural and soon she became the district champion.
Then one day boxing caught his fans.
, It is finally here. The culmination of years of hard work and dedication. India, this one… https://t.co/iXbIioJypY
— nikhat zareen (@nikhat_zareen) 1653028858000
“Where I used to go with my father to train in some urban sports. And I saw that except boxing, there were girls in all sports,” Nikhat recalled hours after winning his gold medal.
“I asked him ‘Why aren’t any girls playing, is boxing only a men’s sport?
Jameel was surprised, but explained to Nikhat that boxing is a sport of adventurers, regardless of gender.
“I told him that you need to be mentally strong, have power and speed for boxing. You must have courage and strength to hit the person in front of you,” he said.
Nikhat’s reply was simple but full of conviction: “I will play (I will play)”.
Soon after, she was training with boys as girls did not box in Nizamabad.
Jameel said, “He had to train with the boys, run with them. In the beginning, he had a slight injury in the beginning. But he started to gain confidence and started punching the same kids who made him feel comfortable. was killed earlier.”
“We knew she would do well among the girls as she developed her speed and strength by playing with the boys. The girls couldn’t even touch her at the national level,” she said with pride.
With boxing vest and training shorts and coming from a Muslim household, Nikhat and his parents faced many taunts and comments.
“This district is a rural one. No one here has that much knowledge of sports. A girl is coming to play especially as a Muslim community, people didn’t know about it.
“It was only when she won a medal at the national level that people came to know more.
“Many people will say what is?, how is the clothes?, what is the figure? Maar lagga gaya toh kaun shaadi karega? (What is this? What kind of figure does she have? If she gets hurt, who will) marry her. Do? His life will be ruined).
“I just listened.”
It did not take Nikhat to stamp his authority as he won his first sub-junior national title followed by a junior world championship a year later.
Today, she is only the fifth Indian boxer to win a gold medal at the World Championships and second only to MC. marie comoTo achieve the feat outside India.
She also ranks at the senior level, winning medals at international events, including two golds at the Strandja Memorial, a bronze at the 2019 Asian Championships, while winning several times at the national level.
“Now the same people ask if Nikhat has been selected in the team, when is she going for the tournament, how was her performance, when is her next match.
“Today’s result has changed not only our community people but for the whole of India, it is an inspiration. To do so much good for a girl from Muslim community, it is not only our community but others also. Gives confidence that our girls can do the same,” Jameel said.
Nikhat has been such an influence in his community that Jameel not only receives calls TelanganaBut in other states too, to train their children.
“When we came to Hyderabad a lot of people contacted me not only from here but also from other states. Saying ‘If you start an academy we will send its kids. Please start a training centre’. ”
Nikhat’s family has been extremely supportive of his dreams. When she won the title, she giggled with joy before crying, thinking of her parents.
Nikhat said, “I was thinking of my parents. They were the only ones with me in my bad times. I wanted to hug them.”
His family’s support got him through a career-threatening shoulder injury that cost him the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and world Championships,
“It was a tough phase but Nikhat was strong. After that she could only win bronze (at the national level).
“But we kept motivating him,” Jamil recalled. I told him, ‘You have age and you can come back.’
Moving forward, Jameel is confident that his daughter will become Olympic champion in Paris, but for now, he wants to return home as the best boxer ever, along with a gold medal.
“She will definitely come back from the Paris Olympics with a medal, I have no doubt about it.
“She has the pace. She has beaten good players before COVID in 2019 and 2020. It has been an inspiration to her. Now she knows she can beat good, strong players.”
“She has realized her potential which has made her stronger. She knows she is number one and she has proved it,” he added.