Paris Olympics 2024: Indian boxer Nishant Dev (AP)
Nishant Dev lost 1-4 to his second-seeded Mexican opponent Marco Verde Alvarez in the men’s 71kg quarterfinal at Paris Olympics.
Devastated after a split verdict denied him a podium finish at the ongoing Olympics, Indian boxer Nishant Dev said his dream has turned into a “nightmare” following the “injustice”, which has left his heart heavy with “anger and sadness”.
Dev, the 23-year-old world championship bronze-medallist, lost 1-4 to his second-seeded Mexican opponent Marco Verde Alvarez in the men’s 71kg quarterfinal despite seemingly dominating the contest on Saturday.
“Nobody truly knows how hard I worked, the countless hours I dedicated to manifesting this dream, and the honesty and truthfulness I poured into my training. Every day was a step toward this goal, every sacrifice a testament to my commitment.
“And in one cruel moment, it was all taken away from me,” he shared in an instagram post.
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Dev said the loss felt so heavy that he “felt like everything was ripped from me.”
“The injustice of it all left me with a heavy heart and a flood of emotions. Anger, disappointment, and sadness intertwined, creating a storm within me.
“It felt like a dream turned into a nightmare in an instant. Hearing the judges’ scores, it felt as though there was nothing left in my body. The pain was so intense that I felt I just couldn’t take it.”
Dev, however, vowed to work harder and return smarter.
“I may have missed out on a medal but I have gained a renewed sense of purpose. My journey doesn’t end here; it begins anew. I will train harder, fight smarter, and come back fiercer,” he wrote.
“This is not the end of my Olympic dream — it’s a chapter that will make my eventual triumph even more meaningful.”
India’s boxing campaign ended at the Olympics after Tokyo edition bronze-winner Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) bowed out following a hard-fought quarterfinal loss to China’s Li Qian in the women’s competition on Sunday.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
