Asian Boxing Championships: India assured of four more medals as Simranjit Kaur, three others advance to semi-finals

Dubai: Four Indian boxers, including three women, advanced to the semi-finals with impressive victories as India’s assured medal tally swelled to 12 in the Asian Championships in Dubai. Sanjeet (91kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine (57kg) and the Olympic-bound Simranjit Kaur (60kg) joined Shiva Thapa (64kg) in the last four stage following late night wins in their quarter-final bouts on Tuesday. They added to the seven medals, including that of six-time world champion MC Mary Kom (51kg), that were assured on the day of draws. India Open gold-winner Sanjeet defeated Jasur Qurbonov of Tajikistan 5-0 to enter the semi-finals in the men’s draw along with Thapa. His next opponent is last edition’s silver-medallist Sanjar Tursunov of Uzbekistan who has been seeded third this year. In the women’s competition, Sakshi (54kg) got the better of Tajikistan’s Ruhafzo Haqazarova 5-0 to set up a clash against top seed Dina Zholaman of Kazakhstan. Jaismine edged past Oyuntsetseg Yesugen of Mongolia 4-1 and will now square off against Vladislava Kukhta of Kazakhstan. Simranjit, who recently recovered from COVID-19, defeated Raykhona Kodirova of Uzbekistan 4-1. Her next opponent is also a Kazakh in Rimma Volossenko. On Wednesday, India’s Olympic-bound men pugilists Amit Panghal (52kg), Vikas Krishan (69kg) and Ashish Kumar (75kg) will kick-start their campaign. World Championships silver-medallist and defending champion Panghal will face Mongolia’s Kharkhuu Enkhmandakh. The two fought at the 2020 Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Amman, Jordan where the Indian had triumphed in a gruelling contest. Asian Games champion Vikas Krishan will square off against Iran’s Moslem Malamir, while last edition’s silver-winner Ashish will face World Championships and Asian Games silver-medallist Abilkhan Amankul of Kazakhstan.