Indian boxers claim five gold medals at Asian

Games Test event

Indian boxers packed a heavy punch at the Asian Games Test event, signing off with five gold, a silver and four bronze medals here on Thursday.

India Open gold-medallist Manish Kaushik (60kg) notched up a second successive top finish, continuing his impressive rise to prominence since claiming the national title last year.

Pavitra (60kg) was the lone Indian gold-winner in the women’s draw, while threetime King’s Cup gold-medallist K Shyam Kumar (49kg), Shaikh Salman Anwar (52kg) and Ashish (64kg) finished with the yellow metal along with Manish.

Pavitra opened the proceedings for India and defeated Thai Nilawan Techasuep 5-0 to start the gold rush.

K Shyam Kumar was the next man in and got the better of Mario Blasius Kali in a split verdict of 4-1 to claim the top honours. The win came about despite a warning the Indian received for his tactics.

Salman Anwar defeated Filipino Rogen Ladon 5-0, while Manish defeated Japan’s Rentaro Kimura to claim a gold each in their respective categories.

Ashish also claimed a gold by out-punching local favourite Sugar Rey Ocana in a lop-sided contest.

Shashi Chopra (57kg), also a bronze-medallist at last month’s India Open, lost 0-5 to Thailand’s Ratchadaporn Saoto to settle for a silver medal.

Signing off with bronze medals were Muhammed Etash Khan (56kg), Ritu Grewal (51kg), Pawan Kumar (69kg) and Ashish Kumar (75kg) after losing their semifinal bouts on Wednesday.