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By Ishaan Kapoor — 31 July 2026 — 3 min read

Pawar’s Path to the Final

Indian boxer Preeti Pawar has spoken about the difficulties of managing weight before significant bouts, noting that athletes cannot always eat properly. Despite these challenges, she stated that the process motivates her to continue striving for success. Pawar made history by becoming the first Indian boxer to reach the final in Glasgow, securing her spot in the women’s 54kg final at the Commonwealth Games.

Pawar advanced to the final after defeating Catherine Mwape of Zambia with a 5-0 decision in their women’s 54kg semifinal match. She is scheduled to compete against Scarlett Delgado of Canada in the gold medal bout. Delgado earned her place in the final by defeating Lauren Mackie of England 4-1 in the other semifinal.

The boxer from Bhiwani, who previously earned a bronze medal at the Asian Games, maintained control throughout her semifinal contest. She effectively utilized her left straight and repeatedly landed counter-attacks after drawing Mwape forward. Pawar expressed satisfaction with her performance, stating that she was able to implement her prepared plans and would give her best for the gold medal.

Mwape struggled to land effective punches against Pawar, who consistently put together combinations. The Zambian boxer received multiple eight counts during the initial rounds. Pawar’s command of the match was evident in the judges’ scoring, with all five judges awarding her a 10-8 score in the second round. With the outcome largely determined, Mwape focused on avoiding Pawar’s attacks in the final round, as the Indian boxer secured a 5-0 victory to reach the final.

Other Indian Boxers Advance

Several other Indian boxers have also progressed to the finals in their respective categories. Jadumani secured his place in the men’s 55kg boxing final by defeating Haoseb via unanimous decision in their semifinal bout. Jadumani will face Dixon in the final.

Jadumani made a strong start in his semifinal, winning the opening round after impressing the judges with a powerful finish. Despite Haoseb’s aggressive approach, Jadumani displayed strong defensive skills and gradually found his rhythm, landing clean blows and ending the round with a significant punch. All five judges awarded him the opening round.

Jaismine also delivered a dominant performance, securing her spot in the boxing final with a Referee Stops Contest (RSC) victory over Maselela in the semifinal. Jaismine took control in the second round, landing a series of powerful punches that led to multiple standing counts for her opponent, ultimately resulting in the referee stopping the contest.

These advancements mean Jadumani joins Ankush, Jaismine, and Arundhati in the boxing finals, marking a successful period for India’s boxing contingent.

Judo Gold and Javelin Return

In other Commonwealth Games news, Asmita Dey clinched a gold medal for India in the women’s 48kg judo category. Dey delivered a composed and commanding performance, maintaining pressure and executing precise attacks to overcome her Canadian opponent in a closely contested final. Her 2-1 Yuko victory secured India’s latest gold medal, concluding her campaign unbeaten.

Meanwhile, Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is set to begin his attempt to reclaim the Commonwealth Games title. He will participate in the men’s javelin throw event at the Scotstoun Stadium. Chopra previously won a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast but was unable to compete in the Birmingham 2022 edition due to an injury. The Olympic medallist is now returning to the Games in Glasgow, aiming for his second Commonwealth Games title. Chopra competed at the Doha Diamond League, marking his first competition of the 2026 season after recovering from a back injury. In Doha, he registered a throw of 85.69 metres to move to third in the standings after the third round.

Tejaswin Shankar also achieved a personal best in the men’s decathlon, throwing 39.66m in the discus. The Indian athlete, who also set a personal best in the long jump on Day 1, maintained his position in the overall standings as he continued his pursuit of a Commonwealth Games medal.

The Commonwealth Games continue to see strong performances from Indian athletes across various disciplines.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com