Boxer Nishant Dev's Olympic debut ends in heartbreak with quarterfinal loss
Paris (PTI): Nishant Dev's maiden Olympic campaign ended in heartbreak after a devastating split verdict defeat to Mexico's Marco Verde Alvarez in the men's 71kg quarterfinal here on Saturday.
Leading after the first round, the 23-year-old world championship bronze medallist Indian lost 1-4 to his second seed Mexican opponent in the quarterfinal at the North Paris Arena.
Nishant had defeated Alvarez in the 2021 World Championships.
Nishant was off to a flyer as Alvarez struggled to match his pace. He used his straight jabs to great effect, landing them square on the Mexican's face as well as the body to tire his opponent.
Alvarez was trailing for the most part of the round but managed to connect a lethal right hook on Nishant's face, that forced the referee to give the Indian a standing count, followed by a left in the dying minutes. But the Indian's dominant display ensured he had the bragging rights.
Nishant continued to unleash a range of punches, including a combination of hooks, while Alvarez too upped his game, connecting some vital blows. However, Nishant looked the stronger of the two as he picked the Mexican's shots.
But the judges favoured the Mexican 3-2 as Alvarez and Nishant entered the final three minutes by the narrowest of margins, leading on one card.
Alvarez landed a combination of punches to start the final round on an aggressive note. The Mexican showed more urgency as he landed an uppercut. The Indian, on the other hand, looked completely spent and while he tried to throw punches he was slow.
Alvarez acknowledged that the bout was a tough one.
"It was a tough bout, played with heart and mind. I hit on his body to open up for upper cuts. I had lost to him in 2021 world Championships. I have a lot of respect for him," Alvarez said.
"He is very technically sound boxer. My coaches asked me to play smart after I lost the first round."
Nishant is the fifth Indian boxer to exit the Olympic Games. Tokyo Olympics bronze winner Lovlina Borgohain is the only Indian boxer still in contention.
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Maharashtra class 12 chemistry paper circulated on social media before exam, leak suspected
Nagpur (PTI): Police are investigating a suspected leak after the class 12 Chemistry question paper was allegedly circulated on social media in Nagpur ahead of the exam being conducted by the Maharashtra board, officials said on Saturday.
The exam malpractice came to light on Wednesday at a high school examination centre after a female student’s frequent visits to the washroom raised suspicion.
Invigilators seized the student's smartphone. Its analysis showed that the question paper had been shared on a WhatsApp group before the exam began, officials said, adding that possible answers were also exchanged in the same group.
Based on the student's statement, another pupil is being questioned.
The preliminary investigation suggests a person linked to a private coaching shared the question paper for money, officials said.
A case was registered at Sadar police station, and an investigation was launched.
