Jaismine blooms, in quarters

New Delhi, March 17

Jaismine Lamboria has already made history. The 21-year-old was the first-ever sportswoman to be recruited by the Indian Army. This came at the back of a bronze medal win at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Coming from a boxing family in Bhiwani — her uncles Sandip Singh and Parvinder Singh were national champions — Jaismine was cut out for the sport.

The pedigree showed today as Jaismine won her 60kg contest against Tanzania’s Nyambega Beatrice Ambros in just over a minute to advance to the Round of 16.

Two back-to-back standing counts of eight were enough for the referee to award the contest to the Indian. Jaismine did most of the damage with her jab and right hook.

“It was a good opening first round for me so I am happy,” said Jaismine, who joined the Army Sports Institute last year.

Jaismine, who lost in the quarterfinals in the previous edition, said that when the Army’s offer came, she could not refuse as her grandfather Chander Bhan Lamboria was a retired Armyman. “I was the first to join and I think a few other women boxers will also join as part of the Mission Olympic Programme. My grandfather was a captain and so is Amit Panghal and Manish Kaushik. When the opportunity arose, I agreed instantly,” she said.

In the 63kg division, Shashi Chopra advanced to the Round of 16 with a facile win. Kenya’s Mwangi Teresiah had no answers for the Indian’s jabs as she lost by a unanimous verdict. However, Shruti Yadav lost her bout 0-5 to China’s Zhou Pan in the 70kg division.