Harpal Singh Bedi
Mahi Siwach and Palak Zambre alongside two more junior girls chalked out dramatic victories to move into the finals of the Asian Youth & Junior Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan on Tuesday.
Vini (50kg) and Yakshika (52kg) were the other two pugilists to make their way into the finals on the seventh day of the competition.
In the 48th kg semi-final Mahi looked solid in her attack against Jordan’s Sadeen Alramhi. Her powerful punches were enough to unsettle the local boxer as the Indian continued with her aggressive approach before the referees stopped the contest in the third round.
Palak was equally dominant during her 48kg Last-4 bout as she outpunched Kazakhstan’s Gaukhar Zarden by unanimous margin without breaking a sweat.
Vini and Yakshita further extended the country’s winning momentum and marched into the finals with comfortable victories. While Vini (50kg) defeated Iraq’s Dalya Al-Sammarraie by RSC verdict, Yakshika blanked Kazakhstan’s Shakhnaz Tairzhanova 5-0.
Last night, youth boxers Vanshaj (63.5kg) and Anand Yadav (54kg) marched into the semi-finals with identical 5-0 wins in their respective Last-8 bouts.
Last edition’s silver medallist Vanshaj knocked out Iran’s Mohammad Parsi to secure his second successive medal while Anand blanked Tajikistan’s Buzurgmekhr Iksanov.
On the other hand Ayush (57kg), Rudra Pratap Singh (60kg) and Anjani Kumar Mummana (67kg) lost their quarter-finals bouts and crashed out
The Indian contingent has secured 21 medals in the junior section at the prestigious continental event where both the age groups of men and women—youth and junior—are being played together.
Among girls, 11 boxers have confirmed medals with semi-finals berths while Nirjhara Bana (+80kg) will play directly in the final. On the other hand, nine boxers have entered the Last-4 stage in the junior boys’ category.
The finals will be played on March 13 and 14.