Mary Kom in semis, assured of first medal on return from break

The celebrated MC Mary Kom led the charge by assuring herself of a sixth medal at the Asian women’s Boxing Championships as three Indians entered the semi-finals of the continental event here.

Advancing to the medal round, along with Mary Kom, were Shiksha (54kg) and Priyanka Chaudhary (60kg).

Mary Kom, a five-time world champion and an Olympic bronze-medallist, defeated Chinese Taipei’s Meng-Chieh Pin in a split verdict in the quarterfinals to make the last four stage of the light flyweight (48kg) category. The 34-year-old, who has won four gold and a silver medal in her five previous appearances at the event, will face Japan’s Tsubasa Komura in the semi-finals on Tuesday.

The medal assured today is Mary Kom’s first in more than a year and a massive confidencebooster for the boxer, who had missed Olympic qualification last year.

“It feels wonderful to get my sixth medal at this Championship. It hasn’t been easy for me but God has been kind to ensure that I have managed to perform. This is my first medal in more than a year and the first after I became an MP,” Mary Kom said.

Shiksha beat Uzbekistan’s Ferangiz Khoshimova, having taken an attacking approach right from he start. But world championships silver-medallist Saweety Boora (75kg) lost to Li Qian 0-5.

HOCHIMINHCITY(VIETNAM):