India assured of silver after draw

HO CHI MINH CITY: India were assured of a medal on the day of draw itself after Seema Punia (+81kg) found herself in the semifinals of the Asian Women’s Boxing Championships, where M C Mary Kom (48kg) will open her campaign on Thursday.

With just four boxers in the draw in her weight category, Punia found herself in the semifinals on Wednesday and will face Uzbekistan’s Guzal Ismatova on November 7.

MC Mary Kom, who is a fourtime gold- medallist at this event, will square off against

WITH JUST FOUR BOXERS IN THE DRAW IN HER WEIGHT CATEGORY, PUNIA FOUND HERSELF IN THE SEMIFINALS

local favourite Diem Thi Trinh Kieu.

Also in action on Thursday, Shiksha (54kg) will take on Mongolia’s Oyun-Erdene Nergui.

L Sarita Devi, making her debut in the 64kg category, got a first-round bye and will face Uzbekistan’s Maftunakhon Melieva in the quarterfinals on November 5. Former world and Asian silver-medallist Saweety Boora (75kg) got a bye too and moved into the quarterfinals, where she will face China’s Li Qian. Also getting a bye was Lovelina Borgohain (69kg) and she will face Mongolia’s Erdenetuya Enkhbaatar in the quarterfinals on November 5.

On Friday, national champion and Nation’s Cup goldmedallist Neeraj will take on Myanmar’s Nally. On the same day, world championships’ silver-medallist Sonia Lather (57kg) will square off against Japan’s Kana Kurogi, while Pooja Rani (81kg) will be up against Yang Xiaoli.

Pooja’s bout will be a quarterfinal contest and a win will assure her of a medal.