Sakshi Choudhary was long considered the future of Indian boxing. A junior world champion at 15 and a two-time youth world champion by 18, the boxer from Bhiwani was expected to win major honors for the country at the senior level, but recurring shoulder injuries stalled her career.
As her contemporaries were participating in the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and Olympics, Sakshi kept losing out on opportunities due to injuries. Then, ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games selection, she faced another major challenge. Due to the strong claim of Asian champion Preeti Pawar in the 54kg category, Sakshi decided to move down to the 51kg category on the advice of coaches.
Changing weight is not just about shedding a few kilos, but also about maintaining speed, strength, and endurance. Sakshi successfully navigated this difficult phase, but the real test was yet to come. To make it to the Indian team, she had to defeat two world champions, Nikhat Zareen and Manakshi Hudda.
Sakshi proved that she is not just a former youth champion but ready to compete at the world level by defeating Nikhat first and then Manakshi in the trials. According to observers, these victories were tougher than any contest that awaited her in Glasgow.
At the Commonwealth Games, Sakshi showed extraordinary confidence, winning all her four bouts by unanimous decision. Lethabo Modukanele of South Africa, Caitlin Fryers of Northern Ireland, Amber Jane Wall of Canada, and Ruby White of England in the final were no match for her.
In the final, Sakshi did not give Ruby White a chance to recover, winning the gold medal in her maiden Commonwealth Games appearance, courtesy of her long reach, precise punches, and excellent strategy.
Sakshi's success is not just the result of four wins in Glasgow but the culmination of years of hard work, comeback from injuries, changing weight categories, and defeating world champion opponents.
This victory is also a testament to the fact that competition at the national level has become so tough that to make it to the Commonwealth Games team, one has to defeat world champion boxers first.
Sakshi now has her sights set on the Asian Games, World Championships, and the 2028 Olympics, where she will compete not as a former junior star but as a Commonwealth Games champion.