Glasgow: Indian boxer Preeti Pawar delivered a clinical performance to secure the country’s first boxing gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, defeating Canada’s Scarlett Delgado by unanimous decision in the women’s 54kg final. Pawar displayed composure after absorbing early strikes from her Canadian opponent, finding her rhythm through accurate counterpunches and effective left hooks. Her tactical patience paid off as all five judges awarded her the opening round by a 5-0 margin.
The Indian pugilist amplified her pressure in the second round, landing precise combinations that forced a standing referee count against Delgado. Maintaining total control of the ring, Pawar secured another unanimous 5-0 scoreline in the second frame, establishing a commanding lead heading into the final round. She continued to dictate the pace in the closing minutes, keeping Delgado defensive with crisp jab combinations and heavy right hands to seal a dominant victory. Dedicating her milestone victory to the nation, Pawar expressed gratitude toward her family, coaches, and national sports organizations for their steadfast support.
Pawar’s triumph headlines a busy day for the Indian contingent across multiple sporting venues in Glasgow. In athletics, runner Gulveer Singh targets another podium finish in the men’s 5000m final following his silver medal effort in the 10,000m event, while triple jumpers Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran contend for medals alongside pole vaulters Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar. Meanwhile, India’s judo squad aims to build on its initial success, which saw historic gold medal victories by teammates Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh.
