Asian Games: Parveen’s redemption story in line for a golden finish
Indian boxers improve on Hangzhou haul with six medals already assured from 11 entries
The redemption story of Parveen Hooda, the feisty boxer from Rohtak in Haryana, is one to warm your hearts. Three years after the boxer, then 22, had her bronze medal stripped in Hangzhou because of a whereabout failure, she is back with a bang and in line for an Asian Games gold in her weight category.
A two-year suspension imposed by the International Testing Agency, which cost her a tilt at the Olympic quota for Paris, was by no means easy for her. However, a toughened Parveen has now assured India of at least a silver when she blew over China’s Li Shu 4-1 in women’s 65 kg semi-final on Tuesday and will take on Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei, a bronze medallist at the Paris Olympics, in the final on Friday.
The boxers, in fact, lit up India’s campaign on Tuesday amid mounting criticism that the medal-hunt of the contingent was far less impressive than their harvest of 107 medals in the previous edition. They have already improved on their haul from the last Games (four) with an assured tally of six – and the colour of some of the medals are expected to change later in the week.
Ankush Panghal, a debutant, created quite a sensation when he stunned Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Erkinboev, the reigning 75kg world champion, 4-1 in the men’s 80kg semifinal. The win made him India’s first male boxer to reach an Asiad final in eight years and this is the first time the country has two boxers competing for gold at the same edition since 2010.
Narender Berwal, meanwhile, finished with a second bronze on the trot in the men’s +90kg category after a 0-5 semi-final defeat to Kazakhstan’s reigning world champion Aibek Oralbay. Five medals which could yet change colour - apart from Parveen and Ankush - are Priya Ghanghas (women’s 60kg), Kapil Pokhariya (men’s 90kg) and Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain (Women’s 75kg) who will fight for final places on Wednesday.
The two-year international ban, which meant all doors to competition shutting as well as carrying a stigma of a possible doping offence, could have left any lesser character broken but not Parveen. Once the suspension ended, she worked her way back into contention and won a gold at the World Boxing Cup Finals in late 2025.
The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July brought another setback when she lost her quarter-final to England’s Sacha Hickey on a split decision and left without a medal. However, the turnaround came in quick time as she found rhythm against China’s Li in the ring on Tuesday. Her counter-punching began to land and three of the five judges gave her the opening round. She continued to control the distance in the second, making Li pay whenever the Chinese boxer tried to close in. All five judges scored that round in Parveen's favour.
Li tried to change the contest in the third, making it more physical and pushing forward. Parveen did not get drawn into the chaos as she stayed patient, picked her shots and took the round 4-1 to seal her place in the final. She is now only the third Indian woman boxer to reach an Asian Games final. MC Mary Kom won gold in 2014 while Lovlina ended with a silver at the previous edition.