Shashi Chopra and Astha Pahwa recorded impressive wins to give India a bright start in the World Youth women’s boxing championship at the N.C. Bardoloi Indoor Stadium here on Monday.
Vanlalhariatpuii, the other Indian in fray on the second day, lost her first round 60kg bout to Korean Aeji Im.
In a 57kg first-round contest, Shashi gave a clinical performance to outsmart her Uzbek opponent Durdonakhon Rakhmaova 5-0. Shashi made good use of her fine footwork and combination of punches against her opponent.
Shashi’s combination along with her fine reading of the opponent helped her gain further control in the following round. The Uzbek had a standing count when Shashi landed a left shot on her rival’s face.
Her long reach and smooth retreat enabled the Indian to stay safe from the jabs of the Uzbek.
Shashi saw off the Uzbek despite the latter showing more aggression in the final round. The Indian will meet Wei-Yi Li Lin of Chinese Tiapei in the pre-quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Astha defeated Melis Yunusova of Bulgaria 5-0 in a fast-paced 69kg first round bout. Resorting to her natural aggression, the well-built Astha exhibited some solid punching but exposed herself to danger because of her loose guard.
In the third round, Ashtha went for an all-out attack and landed more punches than her rival to set up a quarterfinal clash with Canser Oltu of Turkey on Wednesday.
Important results (preliminary rounds):
48kg: Caitlin Fryers (Irl) bt Misaki Nasu (Jpn) 5-0, Emi-Mari Todorova (Bul) bt Danielle Clayton (Aus) 5-0, Yuan Nie (Chn) bt Billie Denholm (Sco) 5-0.
54kg: Daria Puszka (Pol) bt Mafluna Fayzullaeva (Uzb) 5-0.
57kg: Valeriia Rodionova (Rus) bt Amy Timlin (Eng) 5-0, Havanur En (Tur) bt Olha Vozniak (Ukr) 5-0, Anastasia Shamanova (Rus) bt Sharahya Moreu (US) 5-0, Natalia Marczykowska (Pol) bt Karolina Makhno (Ukr) 5-0, Victoria Glover (Sco) bt Giordana Sorrentino (Ita) 3-2, Namuun Monkhor (Mgl) bt Victorie Piteau (Fra) 4-1, Shashi Chopra (Ind) bt Durdonakhon Rakhmatova (Uzb) 5-0.
60kg: Aeji Im (Kor) bt Vanlalhariatpuii (Ind) 3-2.
69kg: Astha Pahwa (Ind) bt Melis Yonuzova (Bul) 5-0, Canser Oltu (Tur) bt Tywama Campball (Aus) 5-0.
75kg: Selma Karakoyun (Tur) bt Gabriella (Hun) 3-2, Georgia O’Connor (Eng) bt Xueting Yu (Chn) 5-0, Ya-Chu Yang (Tpe) bt Lauren Kelly (Irl) 5-0.
