Paris Olympics 2024: Boxer Nishant Dev Breaks Silence After Quarterfinal Loss, Says ‘My Dream Turned Into Nightmare’

Paris: Nishant Dev broke his silence after the Indian boxer was robbed of a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 following a split verdict against second-seeded Mexican opponent Marco Verde Alvarez in the men’s 71kg quarterfinal despite seemingly dominating the contest on Saturday. A win would have put Dev in the semifinals, which itself assures an athlete a medal.

Devastated at the esult Dev said his dream has turned into a ‘nightmare’ following the ‘injustice’, which has left his heart heavy with ‘anger and sadness’. “Nobody truly knows how hard I worked, the countless hours I dedicated to manifesting this dream, and the honesty and truthfulness I poured into my training. Every day was a step toward this goal, every sacrifice a testament to my commitment.

“And in one cruel moment, it was all taken away from me,” 23-year-old Dev, a world championship bronze-medallist, shared on his instagram post. Dev said the loss felt so heavy that he “felt like everything was ripped from me.”

“The injustice of it all left me with a heavy heart and a flood of emotions. Anger, disappointment, and sadness intertwined, creating a storm within me. It felt like a dream turned into a nightmare in an instant. Hearing the judges’ scores, it felt as though there was nothing left in my body. The pain was so intense that I felt I just couldn’t take it,” he added.

Dev, however, vowed to work harder and return smarter. “I may have missed out on a medal but I have gained a renewed sense of purpose. My journey doesn’t end here; it begins anew. I will train harder, fight smarter, and come back fiercer,” he wrote.

“This is not the end of my Olympic dream — it’s a chapter that will make my eventual triumph even more meaningful.” India’s boxing campaign ended at the Olympics after Tokyo edition bronze-winner Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) bowed out following a hard-fought quarterfinal loss to China’s Li Qian in the women’s competition here on Sunday.