Haryana boxer Lather storms into Worlds final

Astana (Kazakhstan), May 26

Haryana pugilist Sonia Lather is just one win away from ending India’s six-year long gold medal drought at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship. The talented boxer stormed into the final of the 57kg category after outpunching Kazakhstan’s Aizhan Khojabekova in the last-four stage here today.

The 24-year-old Lather, who is a 2012 Asian Championships silver medallist, defeated Khojabekova 3-0 to set up a final clash with Italian Alessia Mesiano, who got the better of Bulgaria’s Denitsa Eliseeva by a similar margin.

Lather, the lone Indian left in the fray, was quick off the blocks against her rather sloppy rival. Combining right hooks with power-packed jabs, she threw Khojabekova off balance on more than one occasion. The Kazakh looked mostly clueless when it came to defending herself and her feeble attempts at attack were either blocked or evaded effortlessly by the quick-thinking Haryana girl.

Lather’s performance is the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing show by the Indians in the event, where none from the country, including the celebrated Mary Kom, could qualify for the Rio Games in the three Olympic categories of 51kg, 60kg and 75 kg.

India have not won a gold at this event since 2010 when Mary Kom finished on top in the 48kg category.

In the 2014 edition in South Korea, India had won two silver medals through Sarjubala Devi (48kg) and Saweety (81kg), both of whom lost in the quarterfinals in the ongoing edition. — PTI