I’m not representing a community, but my country: Nikhat Zareen

New Delhi: World champion boxer Nikhat Zareen says she represents her country and not the community she belongs to.
The pugilist spoke her mind when asked about people talking more about her religious background than her hard work and achievements in the ring.
“As an athlete I’m here to represent India. For me, Hindu-Muslim doesn’t matter. I’m not representing a community but my country. Happy to win a medal for my country,” Zareen said.
A lot has been spoken about how Zareen, who comes from an orthodox society, had to overcome societal prejudice to make a career in boxing. But the 25-year-old has made it clear she’s not fighting for a particular community, but fights and wins for India.
As the discussion turned to her sport, she said handling “mental pressure” at the highest level is something Indian athletes lack and pushed for specialised training to overcome this hurdle at big-ticket events.
Indian athletes have a tendency to perform well at regular events but falter at the big stage like the Olympics or the World Championships.