The Hindu : Sport / Boxing : India assured of four medals

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Thursday, Nov 27, 2008
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India assured of four medals

Ningbo City (China): Indian pugilists continued their fine show in the women’s world boxing championship with four out of the five who took the ring on Wednesday winning their quarterfinal bouts to assure at least four medals for the country.

Three-time and reigning champion M.C. Marykom (46kg) led the charge on the fifth day of the championship with Chottu Loura (50kg), L Sarita (52kg), and N. Usha (57kg) following suit by emerging victorious. However, Sushma Kumari (54kg) narrowly lost her bout narrowly.

Marykom shunned risk against China’s Xiao Guan and led 1-0 and 3-0 in the first two rounds to emerge a 4-0 victor after three rounds in a low-scoring bout.

Laura, who won a bronze in the last edition in New Delhi, quelled the challenge of Nave Virginie of France with a 4-1 win before Usha and Sarita brought up skilful performances to completely outbox their opponents.

Usha ruthless

Usha, a silver medallist in New Delhi, did not show any mercy in her 10-1 annihilation of Sabrina Ostawari of Austria. She led 3-0 and 5-0 in the first two rounds before overpowering her opponent in the last round by scoring five points.

Sarita was at her menacing best and barely needed two minutes in her 7-1 victory over Tserenchimeg Tserendorj of Mongolia.

The referee stopped the bout in the first round itself after the Mongolian received a nasty head blow from the defending champion.

Close contest

The lone disappointment came when Yadav went down fighting 3-5 to Cynthia Marella Moreno of USA in a close bout.

Shushma and her opponent went neck-and-neck in the first two rounds with 0-0 and 1-1 scores respectively and there was nothing to separate the two before the American scored four to Sushma’s two in the last round to seal a place in the semifinals. — PTI

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