Liverpool, September 11: India’s medal tally at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool received a major boost as two-time Asian champion Pooja Rani and Astana World Cup gold medallist Jaismine Lamboria entered the semifinals to assure the country of two more medals. Pooja defeated Poland’s Emilia Koterska 3:2 in a hard-fought women’s 80kg quarterfinal, while Jaismine outclassed Uzbekistan’s Mamajonova Khumorabonu 5:0 in the 57kg category.
Earlier, Astana World Cup gold medallist Nupur became the first Indian boxer to confirm a medal after reaching the women’s 80+kg semifinals. With Pooja and Jaismine now joining her, India’s medal count has already risen to three, and more could follow with Meenakshi (48kg) and Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg) set to play their quarterfinals on Friday.
The experienced Pooja Rani relied on her composure to counter the aggression of her younger rival. After trailing slightly in the first round, she bounced back strongly in the second and then played with caution to seal her semifinal spot. Jaismine, on the other hand, dominated from the opening bell, not allowing her Uzbek opponent to find rhythm and cruising through all three rounds.
However, it was disappointment for former world champion Nikhat Zareen and World Cup silver medallist Abhinash Jamwal. Nikhat went down fighting against Turkey’s two-time Olympic silver medallist Cakiroglu Buse Naz in the women’s 51kg quarterfinals, while Jamwal lost 1:4 to Georgia’s Paris Olympics bronze medallist Guruli Lasha in the men’s 65kg category.
