Indian boxers competing in the 30th Adriatic Pearl in Budva, Montenegro, are assured of as many as 12 medals in the season’s first international event.
Alfiya Pathan is expected to pocket India’s first medal as she will take on Moldova’s Daria Kozorev for the gold medal match in the women’s 81kg-plus weight category to be played on Friday night. Both Neha (54kg) and Sanamacha Chanu Thokchom (75kg) have their semifinal matches scheduled late on Friday night.
Babyrojisana Chanu (51kg), the 2019 Asian Youth gold medallists, and Vinka (60kg) have also advanced to the semifinals of the women’s group.
Manipur’s Babyrojisana, who dominated her first round match against Georgieva Blagovesta of Bulgaria, set up a semifinal clash with Uzbekistan’s Feruza Kazakova. Haryana’s Vinka, who won her quarterfinals bout against Uzbekistan’s Sevara Ashurova, will face Finland’s Suvi Tujula in the last-four stage of the competition.
In the 69kg women’s category, India’s Arundhati Choudhary began her campaign with an impressive 5-0 win over Finland’s Evelina Taimi, to stay on course for a bronze medal. Other women boxers assured of a medal include Preeti (57kg) and Lucky Rana (64kg) as they are in the semifinals while Geetika (48kg) and Raj Sahiba (75kg) will play the finals.
The Indian men were, however, off-target as Arambam Naoba Singh (52kg), Sumit (69kg), and Vishal Gupta (91kg) lost their quarterfinal bouts. But Jugnoo got a walkover to move into the semifinals stage of the 91kg-plus weight group.
