Greater Noida: The last year proved to be a period of reflection for Nikhat Zareen, one that taught her to temper expectations while also strengthening her resolve to fulfil her dream of becoming an Olympic champion.

After a stellar run that included back-to-back world titles, a Commonwealth Games gold and an Asian Games bronze, expectations were sky-high for Nikhat heading into the 2024 Paris Olympics.

However, fate had a different script in store as the Telangana boxer returned empty-handed after losing to eventual champion Wu Yu in the round of 16.

“In sports, there are ups and downs. You can’t just expect one athlete to perform all the time and be at her peak level. But you don’t lose hope,” Nikhat told PTI during the ongoing National Championships.

“Setbacks are a part of sport, a part of life. That’s when you realise where you are going wrong. So you work on that. Take a pause and come back stronger.”

That is exactly what Nikhat attempted to do after the Paris Games, taking a break to reset. But her comeback was derailed by a knee injury that required months of rehab.

She eventually returned to competition at a national tournament in June-July, followed by an appearance at the World Championships, where she lost to two-time Olympic silver medallist Buse Naz Cakiroglu.

“I lost to a two-time Olympic medallist. So no regrets but obviously, there is disappointment that I came empty-handed.”

The 29-year-old is no stranger to adversity, having waited patiently for years while boxing legend M C Mary Kom reigned supreme in her weight category.

“Nikhat Zareen has been stubborn since childhood. I knew it from the start that my life won’t be easy. There will be ups and downs in life. So I don’t expect I will be handed things on a platter.

“If I decide that I want to become a world champion, I will give it my all. That quality sets me apart from others.

“And I have decided I want to become an Olympic champion. Because until you don’t think it in your mind, how will it happen?”

Working closely with coach Sunny Gehlawat, Nikhat recently ended her medal drought by winning the World Cup final.

The focus, Gehlawat said, has been on fine-tuning technique.

“There was a gap after the Olympics when we started rehab,” Gehlawat said.

“We worked on small mistakes, going back to the basics and improving her counter-attacks.

“She used to box more on the back foot, so we worked on moving forward. We focused on both technique and tactics.”

With age now a factor — Nikhat will be 32 at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics –, sports science and nutrition have become central to her preparation.

“We have incorporated sports science and are paying close attention to her nutrition as well, because age does matter now,” Gehlawat said.

“We need to keep her in top form until LA.”

With a packed season ahead featuring the Asian Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, Nikhat is keen on starting the season with a gold and she is a step away from that. She reached the National Championships final with a split 4-1 win over Kusum Baghel in the semifinals on Friday.

“At the beginning of 2026, I want to be a national champion because this is an important year,” Nikhat said.

“It won’t be easy, but my spirits are high. Hopefully, I will continue this motivation throughout the year,” she added.