Amit, Nikhat, Meena pack golden punch

New Delhi, February 19  

Amit Panghal (49kg) claimed second successive gold at the Strandja Memorial boxing tournament, in which the India’s women boxers also scripted history with a couple of maiden top finishes in Sofia, Bulgaria. 

India signed off with three gold, one silver, and three bronze medals. The Armyman from Panghal village in Rohtak pulled off a 5-0 triumph over Kazakhstan’s Temirtas Zhussupov, who was left with a bleeding forehead at the end of the final bout. Former junior world champion Nikhat Zareen and Meena Kumari Devi became the first set of Indian women boxers to notch up gold at the prestigious tournament.

Zareen claimed a 5-0 win in the 51kg category final against Filipino Irish Magno, while Devi got the better of Aira Villegas 3-2, also from the Philippines, in the 54kg summit clash. The previous best by an Indian woman boxer at the event was the silver won by MC Mary Kom last year. “I dedicate this medal to the martyrs of the Pulwama terror attack. It was a very sad day for us as a country,” Zareen said from Sofia. 

However, Manju Rani (48kg) settled for the silver after going down to another Filipino in Josie Gabuco in a split 2-3 verdict. On Monday, Pwilao Basumatari (64kg), Neeraj (60kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) had settled for the bronze medals after losing their semifinal bouts. India had won 11 medals at the 2018 edition, two of them gold, which was also the country’s best-ever performance. — PTI

Gold winners 

• (Men’s 49kg): Amit Panghal bt Temirtas Zhussupov 5-0 
• (Women’s 51kg): Nikhat Zareen bt Irish Magno 5-0 
• (Women’s 54kg): Meena Kumari Devi bt Aira Villegas 3-2