New York-based Bangladeshi boxer Zinnat Ferdous won gold on her home debut in the Bangladesh National Boxing Championship after beating Afra Khandakar in the women鈥檚 52kg weight category final at the Muhammad Ali Boxing Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday.
Zinnat, who represented Goodwill Boxing Club of Narsingdi, quickly became one of the standout competitors after confirming her final against Ansar鈥檚 Afra following her win over Bangladesh Army boxer Asia Khatun in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Afra, who got the support from her elder sister and Bangladesh women鈥檚 football team captain Afeida Khandokar and her parents from the stands, on Thursday鈥檚 final, defeated Sejuti Islam of Turjo Boxing Club in the semi-finals.
Zinnat took control from the very first round by keeping Afra at bay to win the gold.
The 31-year-old started her boxing journey at the age of 27 but has shown progress in her brief career. Zinnat鈥檚 first campaign for Bangladesh was unsuccessful at the 19th Asian Games in China in 2023, where she was eliminated in the preliminary round of the women鈥檚 50kg category.
Later on, she won five gold medals across seven international tournaments in South Africa, the Dominican Republic, Poland, and Portugal.
鈥業 am happy that I won a medal on my home debut and grateful for the local support... I liked Afra鈥檚 approach of not giving up till the end. I think, she needs to train well on technique,鈥� said Zinnat in her immediate reaction after winning gold.
Afra had no grief for losing the game, as she could stay till the end of the third round.
聽鈥業 don鈥檛 regret losing the game. I wanted to fight her for three rounds, and thank god I was able to do that,鈥� said Afra.
鈥楽he has the opportunity to train abroad and is much better than us. If we get such good facilities, we will also do well,鈥� she added.
However, Bangladesh Army won 17 gold, five silver, and two bronze medals to emerge as champions as the five-day-long national event ended on Thursday.
The championship once again underlined Bangladesh Army dominance in the ring. Army boxers displayed overwhelming strength in both men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 divisions.
In the men鈥檚 category, they secured 12 gold and one bronze, while their women鈥檚 squad added five golds, five silvers, and one bronze, a combined performance that ensured their place at the top of the medals tally.
Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party finished runners-up, collecting six gold, 11 silver, and two bronze medals. Of those, the men鈥檚 team contributed one gold, six silvers, and two bronzes, while the women鈥檚 team bagged five golds and five silvers.
About 175 boxers from 71 teams competed across 25 weight categories, making this year鈥檚 competition one of the most competitive in recent history.
