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Four Indian boxers, Preeti Pawar, Priya, Arundhati Chaudhary and Sachin, have been promoted to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group following their impressive performances at the 2026 Asian Boxing Elite Championships, while three others have been inducted into the Development group.
The decision was taken during the 172nd Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting on Wednesday, according to a press release. Preeti (54kg), Priya (60kg) and Arundhati (70kg) were crowned gold medallists at the continental meet in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, earlier this month, while Sachin (60kg) secured a silver. The Mission Olympic Cell, which reviews athlete performances under the TOPS framework, based its decision on a detailed assessment of recent results, world rankings and performance progression. Preeti is set to compete in both the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled later this year. Alongside Preeti will be Jaismine (57kg), Priya (W60 kg), Arundhati (W70 kg), and Sachin (M60 kg). Preeti, Priya and Sachin are also competing at the Asian Games. These boxers made it to CWG 2026 and Asian Games 2026 based on direct qualification, according to the selection policy of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI). Boxing is also one of the main medal contention sports for India at CWG 2026, with the event not featuring a plethora of sports where India could have bagged more medals, for instance, in shooting, badminton, wrestling, field hockey, and more. The MOC, additionally, today included three boxers, Aditya (65kg), Deepak (70kg), and Harsh (90kg), in the TOPS Development group following their performances at the Asian Championships. Narender (+90kg) has been included in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) group, where the 31-year-old will receive support until the Asian Games 2026. Harsh and Narender secured bronze medals, while Aditya and Deepak reached the quarterfinals at the Ulaanbaatar meet earlier this month. India bagged an impressive haul of 16 medals, including five gold, three silver, and eight bronze, at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The TOPS Development group serves as a feeder system to the Core category, offering promising athletes structured support, exposure and monitoring as they progress towards elite performance levels. With these inclusions, the TOPS Core group currently features 7 boxers, the Development group features 25 boxers, and the TAGG scheme features one boxer, as preparations intensify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games cycle. (ANI)
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