‘No. 1 finish at Asian Games shows we are on the right track,’ says Santiago Nieva
India’s women boxers produced their best-ever Asian Games campaign with two gold and one silver medal, finishing on top of the women’s boxing standings. Indian women’s boxing head coach Santiago Nieva said the result showed that the team’s development was moving in the right direction.
India also topped the overall boxing medal table with three gold and three bronze medals, finishing ahead of established Asian boxing powers such as China, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The performance followed a strong Commonwealth Games campaign in which the women won five gold and one silver.
Nieva said the team was pleased with the results despite some of its leading performers being eliminated early. India recorded victories over China, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan during the competition, underlining the progress made against some of the continent’s strongest teams.
The coach identified control as one of the main lessons from the Asian Games in Japan. According to Nieva, boxers need to maintain their shape and control for all nine minutes rather than relying on strong performances in only two rounds.
He also stressed the importance of developing different tactical approaches. Boxers need to adjust their pace, respond to different styles and make better decisions depending on the score and the situation in the bout.
The Indian women’s boxing team has shown considerable improvement under Nieva, who returned to the coaching setup in 2025 after previously serving as Indian boxing’s high-performance director. He has since overseen a series of strong results, including five women’s gold medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Nieva also pointed to individual improvements. Parveen, who had lost in the opening bout at the Commonwealth Games, adjusted her approach and won three difficult bouts at the Asian Games. Her improved footwork and distance management were among the changes highlighted by the coach.
Lovlina Borgohain’s gold medal was another positive. Nieva described the victory as a confidence boost after the pressure she faced following the Paris Olympics and World Championships.
The next major challenge for the Indian women’s boxing team will be the World Championships, where the boxers will look to build on their Asian Games performance and pursue qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics.
Nieva believes the team has the ability to compete at that level, but the coach also recognises that strong performances need to be converted into greater consistency inside the ring. The lessons from Japan, particularly around bout control, tactical variation and decision-making, are expected to remain central to the team’s preparation.
India’s Asian Games success has strengthened confidence, but the World Championships will provide a tougher test of whether the recent progress can be sustained against the world’s best.