Indian women boxers, like their male counterparts, won all the gold medals — three in toto — with a measure of comfort, as the 12th South Asian Games came to an end here on Tuesday.
Five-time World champion Mary Kom knocked out her Sri Lankan opponent Anusha Dilrukshi in less than two minutes in the fly category final, while Incheon Asian Games bronze medallist, Sarita Devi scored an emphatic 3-0 win over Vidushika Prabhadhi of Sri Lanka in the lightweight summit clash. Pooja Rani, the lesser-known Incheon Asian Games bronze medallist, knocked out Andaraweer Nilanthi of Sri Lanka in the second round.
The highlight of the day was the clash in the flyweight (48-51 kg) category between Mary Kom and Anusha.
This was the bout, which was much talked about much before the start of SAG.
Anusha had made a lot of noise suggesting that she has become an experienced boxer by now and that she is ready to take on the London Olympic bronze medallist. For all the noise made, the bout was over in no time.
Mary Kom was the first to strike with a heavy right punch in the first couple of minutes. When they ‘clinched’, Mary Kom came out of it with a right jab and the Sri Lankan fell down with a thud. And in the process, she injured her right knee, and was writhing in pain.
When the Sri Lankan came back, she hit back with a series of right-left punches on the Indian. Soon Mary Kom returned the favour with a flurry of punches that stunned Anusha and the referee interfered to stop the contest.
“I was attacking seriously for every match. I don’t want to take it easy. I was focussed at every round. The entire nation is supporting me. I will try to do better and better,” she said.
Felt positiveOn Anusha’s comments prior to the contest, Mary Kom replied: “Before the match she’s challenging. It’s good. I’m so happy. If anyone challenging me, I won’t comment before the bout. But deep inside, I was very positive. Do better and better.
“After giving birth, the comeback is not easy. I still do training to motivate myself. I’m thankful to my entire team.”
In contrast, the lightweight clash between India’s Sarita Devi and Vidushika Prabadhi of Sri Lanka was a relatively closely contested one.
As is her wont, Sarita got back at Vidushika with a series of left-right punches in quick succession with the latter unable to do anything but block. Sarita was looking good to seal the contest. The referee had to stop the match for a brief while with the Sri Lankan panting in the second. There was not let up in the third and fourth rounds from Sarita as she unleashed a series of punches.
Midway in the fourth, Vidushika surprised Sarita by landing accurate punches, so much so that one of the officials gave the Sri Lankan full 10 points in the round.
At the end, it, expectedly, turned out to be a comfortable outing for the Indian. Pooja Rani bagged the middle (69-75) section knocking out Andaraweer Nilanthi of Sri Lanka in the second round of the last bout to complete a clean Indian sweep.
Delayed startThe start of the women’s boxing finals was delayed a bit as all the international judges from Japan, Philippines, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, numbering 14 in total, reportedly refused to officiate citing non-payment of their per diem rate by Indian officials.
At the end, everything was sorted out, it was said, amicably. Normally, in an international event, the international judges are paid their allowances in advance and not made to wait till the last day. It wasn’t the case here.
“There was no protest,” clarified Kishen Narsi, Chairman of AIBA (International body)’s ad hoc body that runs boxing in India.
The results : (finals: Indians unless otherwise mentioned) : Women:
Fly (48-51 kg) : Mary Kom bt K. Anusha Dilrukshi (SL) TKO Rd1.
Light (57-60) : M. Vidushika Prabadhi (SL) lost to Sarita Devi 3-0.
Middle (69-75): Andaraweer Nilanthi (SL) lost to Pooja Rani TKO Rd2.
