New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has named a 12-member squad for the prestigious Grand Prix Usti nad Labem in Czechia, scheduled from June 17 to 21, with Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain and reigning Asian Championships gold medallist Preeti Pawar among the leading names as India’s build-up towards the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow 2026 gathers momentum.

The Indian contingent features several of the country’s leading boxers, including top-ranked athletes across a majority of the Commonwealth Games weight categories. With major international events on the horizon, the tournament offers an important opportunity to fine-tune preparations, assess combinations, and gain valuable exposure against strong international opposition in a competitive European setting.

One of Europe’s longest-running boxing events, the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem has been a fixture on the global calendar for more than five decades and will be conducted as a European Boxing Gold Tournament under World Boxing regulations. Featuring competition across 10 men’s and 10 women’s weight categories, the event will serve as a key benchmark for Indian boxers as preparations continue for a packed international calendar ahead.

BFI president Ajay Singh said, “The Grand Prix Usti nad Labem is one of the most respected international boxing tournaments and offers an excellent platform for our athletes to compete against strong opposition from around the world. The squad includes many of our leading boxers, and such opportunities are important as they continue to gain experience, build confidence and test themselves in different competitive environments. We remain committed to providing our athletes with quality international exposure, and I wish the entire team success in Czech Republic.”

Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) and Asian Championships gold medallist Preeti Pawar (54kg) headline the women’s squad, which also includes Sakshi (51kg), Priya (60kg) and Parveen (65kg). World No. 1 Jaismine Lamboria and Arundhati Choudhary will not travel with the team as they continue their recovery from injuries.

The men’s team comprises Jadumani Singh (55kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg), Aditya Pratap (65kg), Sumit (70kg), Ankush (80kg), Kapil Pokhariya (90kg), and Narender (+90kg).

The tournament forms part of BFI’s continued effort to provide Indian boxers with regular international exposure and access to varied competitive environments as preparations intensify for major events in the months ahead.

Indian squad:

Women: Sakshi (51kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Priya (60kg), Parveen (65kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg)

Men: Jadumani Singh (55kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg), Aditya Pratap (65kg), Sumit (70kg), Ankush (80kg), Kapil Pokhariya (90kg), Narender (+90kg)

–IANS

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