Four Services Sports Control Board boxers, including world youth bronze medallist Bhavesh Kattimani, progressed to the semi-finals of the third youth Nationals in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand.
Kattimani packed a flurry of punches on Manipur’s Bhimjit Singh Heikrujam to conclude his bout with a unanimous nod from the judges in the 52kg. Selay Soy (46-49kg), L Bilotson Singh (56kg) and Ajay Kumar (60kg) are the other three SSCB boxers to make it to the last four.
While three boxers from Haryana, two from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh and Assam reached the last four, it was young Sikkimese boxer Krishna Kailash Roy who stole the show in the lightweight category.
Kailash defeated his opponent from West Bengal on points to sail into the semi-final. In the girls category, Haryana continued their dominance on day four with four pugilists qualifying for the semi-finals followed by three boxers from Uttar Pradesh.
Manipur’s Babyrojisana Chanu continued her sublime run in the tournament, this time getting the better of Uttar Pradesh’s Aprajita Mani with a unanimous 5:0 verdict in the flyweight category.
Haryana’s Poonam (54kg) proved too strong for Manipur’s Thotyolo, who was left flustered with a flurry of punches and the referee had to stop the contest in the final round. Poonam won the bout 5-0.
Following suit was yet another promising boxer Arshi Khanan of Rajasthan, who made no errors against Chandigarh’s Akanksha Rana. Khanan looked in rampaging form as the referee intervened to stop the contest in R1.
Shobha Kohli (45-48kg) and Sanjay Kumar (52Kg) from Uttrakhand are the lone representation in the knockout stage in girls and boy’s category. While Kumar put up a power packed show to snatch a RSC verdict in R2 against Harshal Phondni from Chandigarh; Kohli dominated her opponent from West Bengal to register a unanimous win and secure a berth in the last four.
Mizoram, Assam, Rajasthan, Punjab and Manipur have a representative each in the semi-finals.