New Delhi, December 27: MC Mary Kom and Nikhat Zareen won their respective first round bouts on Friday at the ongoing women's boxing trials for the Olympic qualifiers in New Delhi to set up a showdown in the final of the 51 kg category. While Nikhat beat current national champion Jyoti Gulia, Mary got the better of Ritu Grewal.

Nikhat had after the Women's Boxing World Championships in November demanded a trial to decide who between her and Mary Kom will go after it looked like the latter may travel to China for the Asia/Oceania Olympic qualifiers in February 2020 due to the Boxing Federation of India's indecision over the selection policy. She had also demanded that the trials be telecast live which the BFI rejected stating that there is no precedence for it. Nikhat Zareen Named for Boxing Olympic Qualifier Trials.

While Mary always stated that she would abide by whatever selection policy the BFI has, she had indicated an aversion to a trial, taking the example of other sports in which athletes don't have to give trials. "Even in other games like badminton, who gives trial? Have you seen Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu appearing for trials? But in our case it is different," she had said in August.

The women boxers who will travel for other weight categories will also be decided on Saturday. The men's trials for the Olympic qualifiers will subsequently be held in Bellary, Karnataka starting on Sunday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 27, 2019 06:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).