Glasgow, July 29 (IANS) India’s Arundhati Choudhary revealed that her toughest opponent before stepping into the ring at the Commonwealth Games 2026 was not her rival, but the weighing scale.

After storming into the women’s 70kg boxing semifinals and assuring India of at least a bronze medal, the Indian boxer disclosed that she had gained weight in the lead-up to the competition and had to shed nearly two kilograms in just a day to remain within her category.

“I gained some weight for some reasons, but I reduced 2kg yesterday to maintain my weight. It was really tough,” Arundhati told IANS after her quarterfinal victory.

The emotional boxer dedicated her medal to her younger brother and family, who stood by her throughout the difficult phase.

“I want to dedicate this medal to my younger brother and my family,” she said.

Sending a message to aspiring athletes across the country, Arundhati added, “My message to the youngsters in India is that it is all your blessings that I am here today. I will win gold for India.”

Earlier, Arundhati booked her place in the women’s 70kg semifinals with a hard-fought 3-1 split-decision victory over Morgan Henderson (NZL).

The Indian pugilist displayed composure and tactical discipline throughout the three-round contest to edge past Henderson in a closely fought bout. Three judges scored all three rounds in Arundhati’s favour (30-26), while one judge awarded the contest to the New Zealander 29-27. The fifth judge had the scores level at 28-28, but a one-point deduction against Henderson ultimately swung the result in the Indian’s favour.

With the victory, Arundhati has guaranteed herself at least a bronze medal, as both losing semifinalists in boxing receive bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games. She is now just one win away from entering the gold-medal bout.

Her revelation about the drastic weight cut once again highlights the intense discipline demanded in combat sports, where even a small increase in body weight can jeopardise an athlete’s participation. Having overcome that challenge before even entering the ring, Arundhati’s confident performance reflected both her physical resilience and mental toughness.

India’s boxing contingent has continued its impressive run in Glasgow, with several pugilists advancing to the medal rounds, keeping the country’s hopes of a rich haul alive.

--IANS

cs/hs