India assured of four medals at Youth World Boxing Championships

Indian women boxers put up a fine show to make the semi-finals at the Poland event, guaranteeing India bronze medals in their respective categories.

2 minBy Naveen Peter
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Four Indian boxers assured themselves a medal each at the AIBA Youth Men’s and Women’s World Boxing Championships in Kielce, Poland on Sunday. 

The 2019 Asian junior champions Vinka (60kg) and Alfiya Pathan (+81kg), Gitika (48kg) and Poonam (57kg) won their respective quarter-finals bouts with ease. They will now compete in the semi-finals, guaranteeing them of at least a bronze.

Taking the ring for her quarters bout against Camilo Camela of Colombia, Vinka put up a clinical display to blank her opponent 5-0. Alfiya Pathan, also an Asian junior champion, too won by unanimous decision in her last-eight fight against Hungary’s Reka Hoffmann.

Competing in the women’s 57kg weight division, Poonam also romped home to a 5-0 win over Nazerke Serik of Kazakhstan while Gitika overpowered Romania's Elisabeth Ostan in their 48kg category bout with her precise punches and swift movement.

The referee was forced to call off the bout after the first round, handing the Indian a comfortable win.

Meanwhile, Khushi (81kg) was the only Indian casualty as she lost her last-eight fight to Busra Isildar of Turkey.

In the men’s half, Manish (75kg) and Sumit (69kg) qualified for the quarter-finals with dominant wins. While Manish beat Jordan’s Abdallah Alaarag 5-0, Sumit got the better of Ladislav Horvath of Slovakia with an identical scoreline.