Preeti Pawar delivered India’s first boxing gold medal of the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday, defeating Canada’s Scarlett Delgado by unanimous decision to claim the women’s 54kg title. The 22-year-old, previously an Asian Games bronze medallist, secured her first gold at a marquee multi-sport event after a journey marked by early doubts, family support, and a significant health setback ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024.
Pawar’s CWG 2026 triumph adds a major highlight to her growing resume and gives India an early boxing gold at the Games, with her final performance built on composure, clean punching and round-by-round control.
How Preeti Pawar sealed the CWG 2026 women’s 54kg gold
The final began with Delgado landing a few early punches, but Pawar stayed patient and composed, gradually finding her rhythm. As the opening round progressed, the Indian boxer responded with accurate punches and used her left hook effectively.
The judges awarded the first round to Pawar by a unanimous 5-0 scoreline, putting her in control early and setting the tone for the contest.
Pawar grew in confidence in the second round, landing cleaner and more precise punches. She took control midway through the round with a flurry of sharp combinations that forced a standing count for Delgado. The judges again scored the round 5-0 for Pawar, leaving her one round away from the gold medal.
In the final round, Pawar maintained her dominance, dictating the pace and keeping Delgado on the back foot. She continued to land cleaner punches, including a crisp left hook and a solid right hand, as the Canadian struggled to find a response. After the final bell, Pawar was declared the winner by unanimous decision, sealing the women’s 54kg gold and India’s first boxing gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.
Family support and early hurdles
Speaking to ANI, Pawar’s mother Salin Devi said her daughter was not initially interested in boxing, but the encouragement of her uncle Vinod—described as a boxing coach and a national-level medallist—helped draw her into the sport. Salin also pointed to how having a coach within the family helped build trust at a time when families were hesitant to let girls travel for sports.
Salin recalled that Pawar wanted to quit boxing during the early hardships, but continued through the grind of wins and losses, building confidence along the way.
From national rise to international setbacks and comeback
Pawar, from Bhiwani, built her profile on the national circuit with a silver at the Khelo India Games in 2020 in Guwahati, followed by a gold in the 2021 edition in Panchkula. She later had a pre-quarterfinal finish at the 2023 New Delhi World Championships and won a bronze medal in the 54kg category at the Asian Games in Hangzhou (2023). Her Asian Games campaign included a quarter-final win over Kazakhstan’s Zhaina Shekerbekova before she lost to China’s Chang Yuan in the semi-finals.
Her momentum was disrupted by a bout of Hepatitis A just before the Paris Olympics 2024, which left her needing bed rest and drained of energy. Despite the setback, she represented India at the Olympics, losing 2-3 to Colombia’s Yeni Arias in the pre-quarterfinals.
In November 2025, Pawar bounced back by winning gold at the World Boxing Cup in 2025. On her road to that title, she defeated Paris Olympics bronze medallist and then-world number one Huang Hsiao-wen, according to the report.
What the gold means for Pawar and what comes next
Pawar’s CWG 2026 gold is being celebrated at home, with her family describing both pride and relief after years of persistence. Her elder sister Sonam told ANI that Pawar’s journey has been “quite tough” and called her a source of inspiration despite being the younger sibling. Sonam also recalled the Hepatitis A diagnosis a month before the Paris Olympics, saying Pawar was on bed rest in Germany and unable to train, yet still pushed through the competition.
Celebrations are expected when Pawar returns home, with her mother saying dishes like kheer and churma would be prepared. Sonam also mentioned that after managing a strict weight-loss regime leading into the event, Pawar planned to treat herself with baklava once her bout ended.
