Adriatic Pearl boxing: Vinka, Sanamacha win gold medals

Vinka (60kg) and T Sanamacha Chanu (75kg) finished atop the podium in the women's category late on Saturday night

New Delhi: Budva, Montenegro, is proving to be a happy hunting ground for the Indian youth boxers as they won two more gold medals to take the country’s gold tally to three at the 30th Adriatic Pearl Tournament. Vinka (60kg) and T Sanamacha Chanu (75kg) finished atop the podium in the women’s category late on Saturday night.

Alfiya Pathan (81kg-plus) had won the first gold, also in the women’s section. In all-Indian final, Sanamacha prevailed over Raj Sahiba to win gold while Vinka defeated Moldova’s Kristna Kriper.

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Indian team is on course to win three more gold medals as Lucky Rana notched up a 3-0 win against Uzbekistan’s Gulshoda Istamova in the last four-stages of women’s 64kg and set up a title clash with Finland’s Lia Pukkila.

Apart from Lucky, Babyrojisana Chanu (51kg) and Arundhati Choudhary (69kg) also entered the finals of their respective weight categories. All three finals will be played on Sunday night. Babyrojisana will face Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova while Arundhati will take on Maryana Stoiko of Ukraine. Indian team coach Bhaskar Bhatt attributed the team’s success so far to good preparation.

“The training was structured according to individual strengths. Since the performance of the boxers is on expected lines, it means they have grasped what has been taught to them, and that they are able to repeat in the actual competition,” Bhatt told IANS.

Indian men’s team, however, failed to win any title. On Saturday night, Priyanshu Dabas (49kg) and Jugnoo claimed bronze medals in their respective weight categories. Both boxers lost their respective semifinal bouts. While Priyanshu suffered a narrow 2-3 defeat in a hard-fought match against Ishjonov Ibrokhim of Uzbekistan, Jugnoo lost to Ukraine’s Vasyl Tkachuk 0-5 in the 91kg-plus category.