Manju storms into final; Mary settles for bronze

Ulan-Ude (Russia), Oct. 12: Debutant Manju Rani (48kg) was the lone Indian to enter the final, while sixtime champion MC Mary Kom (51kg) and two others signed off with bronze medals in the World Women’s Boxing Championships here on Saturday.

Sixth-seeded Rani defeated Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat 4-1. She will take on second-seeded Russian Ekaterina Paltceva in the summit clash on Sunday.

“I had fought this Thai girl earlier too so that experience came in handy. This is the biggest win of my career so far and I am very very happy,” Rani said referring to her earlier fight against Raksat.

However, Mary Kom, Jamuna Boro (54kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) settled for bronze medals. In case of Borgohain, it was her second successive third-place finish. Mary Kom, seeded third, lost 1-4 to second seed Busenaz Cakiroglu of Turkey who is the reigning European Championships and European Games goldmedallist.

Boro went down 0-5 to top seed and former Asian Games bronze-medallist Huang Hsiao-Wen of Chinese Taipei.

Borgohain (69kg) squared off against China’s Yang Liu and was beaten 2-3 in a hard-fought bout. The Indian contingent sought reviews of the decisions in Mary Kom and Borgohain’s bouts but the appeals were turned down by the International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) technical Manju Rani celebrates after beating her opponent in the semifinal of the World Boxing Championship. committee. had the edge in counterattacks

“I am very disappointed as Cakiroglu struggled with the decision. I think I to make her height fought much better and didn’t advantage count. deserve to lose but I will The second round followed try to ensure that this setback a similar pattern as helps me achieve bigger far as the tactics went and things,” Mary Kom. although it was close, the

Rani, who hails from judges ruled in the Turk’s Haryana and made the favour in a split call. In the national camp only this final three minutes, both year, put up a gutsy show the boxers upped the ante against the more muscular but Cakiroglu got the Raksat. Relying on counterattacks judges’ nod. in the first two “Mary fought exceptionally rounds, the Strandja well and should have Memorial silver-medallist won the bout. We are still went on the offensive in the quite stunned that the decision final three minutes. did not go in her

She rattled the Thai with favour,” India’s assistant her ferocious combination coach and Mary Kom’s punches, piercing through trainer Chhote Lal Yadav her shell guard with forceful said. straight punches. Mary Despite this loss, it was a Kom also fought a tactically stupendous campaign for sound bout but was edged the 36-year-old Mary Kom out by the Turk in a split and added to her long list of verdict. Both the boxers accomplishments. This seemed hesitant to make bronze is her first world the first move in the opening medal in the 51kg category. round but Mary Kom