Mary leads the way

Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 20

Simranjit Kaur was relieved after she was declared the winner against Ireland’s Amy Sara Broadhurst. The quarterfinal win on Tuesday means that Simranjit is assured of winning at least a bronze medal in the Women’s World Championships. The win also ensured that she fulfilled her desire to win a major international medal to honour her late father Kamaljit Singh, who passed away in July. 

“Yes I have fulfilled it but there is more work to do now,” Simranjit said after her 3-1 win over Broadhurst. 

Simranjit was told to watch out for Broadhurst’s powerful left hook. The 23-year-old was put under a lot of pressure by the Irish southpaw but did enough in the eyes of the judges to earn her entry to the semifinals. One judge gave equal points to both the boxers. “I had to be cautious as it was a very important bout and I had to win it to assure myself of a medal. So I am extremely happy that I won today,” she added.

Simranjit is now eyeing a spot in the final. “I will try to win the semifinal and try to win the final. I will give it all,” she said.

Mary’s magic

MC Mary Kom (48kg), Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) and Sonia Chahal (57kg) also advanced to the semifinals, assuring India of three more medals. 

Five-time gold winner Mary schooled her Chinese opponent Yu Wu in a 5-0 demolition. Mary, who had to lose 400gm before the bout, was continuously catching the Chinese on the counter. The third round was a masterclass as Mary kept the Chinese at bay and did not allow her to land a single punch.

With this victory, the 35-year-old assured herself of a seventh World Championships medal. “I had not faced this girl before. But once I got to know about the plans, I controlled it well,” said Mary, who plays North Korea’s Kim Hyang Mi for a place in the final.

Also winning by a unanimous verdict was Lovelina who outpunched Australia’s Scott Kaye Frances. Sonia Chahal saw off Marcela Yeni Castaneda of Colombia 4-1.

IOC asks international federations to not allot competitions involving Kosovo athletes to India 

New Delhi: The International Olympic Committee has advised all its affiliate international federations to not grant any competitions involving Kosovo athletes to India after its boxer was denied for the World Championships. IOC’s deputy director general Pere Miro, in his letter to all the federations, said that it was the duty of all international federations to protect the athletes’ interest and their right to compete. TNS

Indian corner

• 49kg: Mary Kom bt Yu Wu 5-0
• 51kg: Pang Chol Mi bt Pinki Rani 4-1 
• 54kg: Stoyka Petrova bt Manisha Moun 4-1 
• 57kg: Sonia Chahal bt Marcela Yeni Castaneda 4-1 
• 64kg: Simranjit Kaur bt Amy Sara Broadhurst 3-1
• 69kg: Lovlina Borgohain bt Scott Kaye Frances 5-0