The celebrated MC Mary Kom needs to win just one bout to secure herself a medal, while Vikas Krishan got a bye into the men's pre-quarterfinals as Indian boxers were handed reasonably good draws in the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on Tuesday.
Check out the complete schedule of Indian athletes at the Tokyo Olympics
In the women's draw, world silver-medallist Sonia Chahal (57kg) advanced to the last-four stage at the continental showpiece.
This was due to the fact that they had already won the Khel Ratna, the country's highest sporting honour.
Nikhat was hoping to challenge Mary Kom in the 51kg trials.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
Asian champion Pooja Rani (75kg) and the seasoned Vikas Krishan (69kg) became the first set of Indian boxers to qualify for this year's Tokyo Olympics by advancing to the semi-finals of the continental qualifiers, in Amma, on Sunday. While fourth-seeded Rani notched up a facile 5-0 win over Thailand's Pornnipa Chutee, Krishan endured a tough one against third-seeded Japanese Sewonrets Okazawa before also prevailing in a unanimous verdict against the Asian silver-medallist.
Six-time champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) was beaten by Turkey's Busenaz Cakiroglu in the semi-finals and had to settle for a bronze medal in the World Women's Boxing Championships, in Ulan-Ude, on Saturday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
Five-time world champion Mary Kom, returning to the ring after recovering from some niggles that kept her out of the Asian Games, prevailed 5-0 against Kazakhstan's Aigerim Kassanayeva to pick up India's lone senior category gold at the event on Saturday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday.
A tough road awaits veteran L Sarita Devi and rookie Manisha Moun as they open India's campaign at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships, in New Delhi, on Friday.
'Everyone has to recalibrate their plans, preparations, peaking, meaning the tournaments they will play in in the lead-up to the Olympics.'
'Our boxers are mature and strong enough to withstand these kinds of shocks.'
Celebrated boxer M C Mary Kom will aim for a historic sixth gold at the AIBA Women' World Championships, the build up of which has been marred by a row over lone Kosovan boxer's participation and poor quality air in the national capital.
M C Mary Kom struck gold in the women's competition but India's men were denied a complete sweep by traditional powerhouses Cuba and Uzbekistan on an exciting final day of the India Open boxing tournament, in Delhi, on Thursday.
Mary Kom, who claimed an unprecedented sixth gold by winning the 48kg summit bout in the Women's World Championships, in New Delhi, said she became a smarter fighter in the later part of her career.
The Indian women's table tennis team won gold
Nikhat from Telengana was handed the fourth spot in the 51 kg category which already has the six-time World Champion MC Mary Kom, RSPB's Jyoti Gulia and Haryana's Ritu Grewal as other contenders.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
Sonia Chahal stormed into the finals of Women's World Boxing Championships by outclassing her North Korean opponent Jo Son Hwa
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
A judging controversy couldn't stop the Indian juggernaut from rolling with as many as eight pugilists reaching the quarterfinals in the ongoing AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships on Monday.
Mary Kom stormed into the quarter-final after beating Kazakhstan's Aigerim Kassenayeva in the second round of the 48kg category of the AIBA Women's World Championships, in New Delhi, Sunday.
Indian contingent would be aiming to make it all good with strong medal-winning performances when the acutely-low-on-buzz Commonwealth Games start
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday.
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