NAGPUR: Akola's Sakshi Gaidhani was among the top-8 boxers in last year's senior nationals. Sakshi was among the top contenders to finish on the podium. However, the Maharashtra boxer's dreams were shattered when she met the toughest opponent in the 81kg category — Pooja Rani, the 7-time national champion and 2-time Asian champion — in the quarterfinals.
Though it was a tough loss to digest, Sakshi gained valuable experience which is driving her with better preparedness to once again eye the top-3 finish in the forthcoming senior nationals and Mini Olympics.