GANDHINAGAR: Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain and Commonwealth Games medal-winning duo of Mohammed Hussamuddin and Jaismine Lamboria assured themselves of a boxing medal each after recording quarterfinal victories at the Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar.
World Youth champion Sachin Siwach (Haryana) beat Chhattisgarh’s S Sahil in a bloodied quarterfinal. Both suffered cuts on their foreheads, forcing the referee to end the contest, and award it in favour of the Haryana boxer. World Championships and multiple Asian medallist Shiva Thapa (Assam) also recorded a commanding 5-0 win over Punjab’s Vikash.
In women’s 60kg division, World Championship medallist Simranjit Kaur (Punjab) also made it to the last four stage with a comfortable 5-0 win over Mizoram’s Kroshmangaihsangi. Simranjit will be up against Assam’s Pwilao Basumatary, who registered a stunning win against Himachal Pradesh’s little-known Dimple Upadhay. Saweety Boora, a World Championship medallist, set up the other 75kg semifinal with Himachal Pradesh’s Shreetima Thakur after getting the better of Delhi’s Shalakha Singh by a 5-0 verdict.
In the 60kg class, Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jaismine stood out against Uttarakhand’s Lucky Rana. The taller Haryanvi’s wide range of punches unsettled Lucky and left her searching for cover in what ended as a lop-sided 5-0 unanimous verdict in favour of the 21-year-old Asian championship medallist. Jaismine will next meet Manipur’s Pravish Konthoujam, who won a narrow 3-2 verdict over Maharashtra’s Poonam Kaithwas.