Nishio: Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sakshi Chaudhary defeated Paris Olympics bronze winner Aira Villegas in the preliminary round at the Asian Games 2026 to march into the pre-quarters here on Tuesday.
Chaudhary outclassed the Filipino pugilist by a unanimous decision of 5-0 as she displayed a stellar performance on her Asian Games debut at the Nishio Gymnasium.
She won all three rounds unanimously with scores of 10-9 and was the superior boxer of the two, with her precise punches being too much to handle for the Paris bronze winner.
The Commonwealth Games gold medallist has now moved into the pre-quarters and will be facing current 51kg world champion Alua Balkibekova in a tough fight on Thursday.
Sakshi is already a renowned pugilist and has defeated some of the giants of the game. She got the better of two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and reigning world champion Minakshi Hooda in the selection trials for the Commonwealth Games 2026. Dropping from 54kg, she defeated Nikhat in the semifinals of the trials, while she beat 48kg champion Hooda in the final to earn a ticket for CWH 2026.
In the CWG 2026, Sakshi won the gold medal after defeating England’s Ruby White in the final 5-0. After a successful CWG, Sakshi kept her eyes on the Asiad.
“Winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games is a dream come true moment for me. And now my complete focus is on the Asian Games. These are the platforms that I have always aimed at, and I want to give the best of my abilities,” Sakshi had said.
The boxer added that representing India remains her biggest source of motivation and helps her push herself to improve with every bout.
“I play for my country. This constant thought pumps me up and gives me the strength and courage to do better than the last match I played,” she added.
Sakshi said she would immediately begin preparations for the Asian Games and use the lessons from her Commonwealth Games campaign to further sharpen her game.
“I will begin my training for the Asian Games now. I have learnt a lot from my Commonwealth matches, and I will always cherish this experience,” she had added before the Asiad.
(IANS)
