Mary Kom in final; seven medals assured for India at Polish boxing tourney

M C Mary Kom on Thursday advanced to the finals, while L Sarita Devi made the semifinals as Indian boxers assured themselves of seven medals in the 13^th International Silesian Championship for women in Gliwice, Poland.

Five-time world champion Mary Kom, who got a direct entry into the 48kg category semifinals due to the small size of the draw, defeated Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota in the semifinals to be assured of at least a silver.

India’s first and only Asian Games gold medal-winning woman boxer is returning to the ring after missing the recently-concluded edition in Jakarta due to minor fitness issues.

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Sarita, also a former world champion and Asian Games bronze-medallist, beat Czech Republic’s Alena Czechy 5-0 Wednesday night after going past Kazakhstan’s Aizan Khojabekova in the opening round of the 60kg category the day before.

She will now square off against another Kazakh in Karina Ibragimova in the semifinals.

Among other Indians in fray, Ritu Grewal won her bout against Russia’s Svetlana Rosja 4-1 to make the 51kg category semifinals along with Lovlina Borgohain (69kg). Borgohain got the better of Czech Republic’s Martina Schmoranzova.

Joining them in the last-four stage were former Asian youth champion Manisha (54kg) and Pooja Rani (81kg).

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Manisha out-punched former world champion Dina Zholaman of Kazakhstan 5-0, while Pooja defeated Ukraine’s Anastasiia Chernokolenko in her quarterfinals bout by a split verdict.

In the youth competition, Jyoti Gulia (51kg) advanced to the medal round with a 5-0 win over Germany’s Rafaela Arampatzi.

However, Seema Punia (+81kg), Pwilao Basumatary (64kg) and Shashi Chopra (57kg) lost their respective bouts to bow out of medal contention.

Seema was beaten by Kazakh Lazzat Kungeibayeva 5-0, while Basumatary lost by a similar margin to Poland’s Natalia Barbusinska.

Shashi, on the other hand, lost to England’s Anglia Chapmen, also a unanimous verdict.

In the junior competition, Raj Sahiba (70kg) defeated Poland’s Barbara Marcinkowska 5-0.

In the 75kg category, Neha got the better of Daria Parada by a similar margin, while Komal (80kg) had to toil for a 3-2 win over Martyna Jancelewicz.