Sonia Lather (57kg) stood just one win away from ending India's six-year-old gold medal drought at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship as she advanced to final after outpunching Kazakhstan's Aizhan Khojabekova in the last-four stage in Astana, Kazakhstan on Thursday. The 24-year-old Sonia, who is a 2012 Asian Championships silver-medallist, defeated Khojabekova 3-0 to set up a clash with Italian Alessia Mesiano, who got the better of Bulgaria's Denitsa Eliseeva by a similar margin. The lone Indian left in the fray, Sonia was quick off the blocks against her rather sloppy rival. Combining right hooks with power-packed jabs, Sonia threw Khojabekova off balance on more than one occasion. Khojabekova was mostly clueless when it came to defending herself and her feeble attempts at attack were blocked or evaded effortlessly by the quick-thinking Haryana girl. In the end, it was hardly a surprise that judges ruled unanimously in Sonia's favour.
All India Police boxer Minakshi pulled off a stunning upset, defeating World champion Nitu Ghanghas of Haryana in the 48kg semi-final of the 8th Elite Women's National Boxing Championship.
Commonwealth Games medallist Jaismine Lamboria and two-time Asian Champion Pooja Rani secured gold medals at the Elite Women's National Boxing Championships
Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain clinched the women's 75kg gold at the National Games in Dehradun.
The reigning Youth World champions Alfiya Pathan and Gitika produced sensational performances to win gold medals, while India's other two female boxers Kalaivani Srinivasan and Jamuna Boro signed off with silver medals in the Elorda Cup.
Zareen caused a major upset on the second day of the tournament on Wednesday when she out-punched the Russian boxer 5-0.
However, Asian Games bronze winner Pooja Rai settled for a bronze medal after going down to the Netherlands' Nouchka Fontijn.
India's boxer Nikhat Zareen stunned two-time World champion Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan to enter the women's 51kg semi-finals at the Bosphorus Boxing Tournament in Istanbul, on Friday.
Where stalwarts like MC Mary Kom failed, Sonia Lather brought home a medal.
World Championships bronze medallist Sonia Lather also kickstarted her campaign on a winning note. The Haryana pugilist dominated Rosorio Milogros of Argentina for a 5-0 victory in the women's 57 kg category.
Asian Games bronze-winner Satish Kumar (+91kg) kicked off his campaign with an impressive 5-0 win over Moldova's Zavantin Alexel to make the last-four stage and be assured of at least a bronze.
Gaurav Solanki (57kg), Prayag Chouhan (75kg) and Brijesh Yadav (81kg) tested positive for the virus
Nikhat from Telengana was handed the fourth spot in the 51 kg category which already has the six-time World Champion MC Mary Kom, RSPB's Jyoti Gulia and Haryana's Ritu Grewal as other contenders.
Pinki Jangra, Sonia Lather and Sarita Devi scored dominating victories to reach the semi-finals of their respective categories at the sixth Asian Women Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar.
Asian Games bronze medallist Pooja Rani (75kg) entered the pre-quarter-finals in the AIBA World Women's Boxing Championships with a hard-fought victory over Ukraine's Mariya Borutsa, in Astana, on Friday.
Sonia Lather, Vinita Mahar, Mamta and Monica Saun, among others, advanced to the summit clash of the Federation Cup Women's Boxing Championship in Nainital on Saturday.
Indian pugilist Sonia Lather was assured of a medal in the 57kgs at the AIBA World Women's Boxing Championship, only the colour had to be decided on Friday in a thrilling final in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
The diminutive Manipuri became the most successful boxer in world championships' history when she claimed the 48kg category top honours in November last year in Delhi.
Five-time world champion M C Mary Kom remained on course for a fifth gold medal at the Asian Boxing Championships after she advanced to the final of the event on Tuesday.
India have named a strong 10-member boxing team for the forthcoming South Asian Games to be held in Shillong from February 13 to 16.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday
Indian women boxers failed to secure a single Olympic quota berth at the AIBA World Championships after Pooja Rani (75kg) bowed out.
MC Mary Kom won by a unanimous decision against 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Ingrit Lorena Valencia in the Big Bout Indian Boxing League.
Following is the schedule of Indian contingent on the 10th day of the Asian Games tomorrow.
Deepa Malik became the first Indian woman para-athlete and the oldest to be conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award
L Sarita Devi (64kg) and Sonia Lather (57kg) advanced to the semifinals and assured themselves of medals at the Asian women's Boxing Championships.
India clinched 42 medals, including 27 gold, on the penultimate day of competitions to inch closer to 300-mark as they look set to finish on top spot for the 13th time on the trot in the South Asian Games, in Kathmandu, on Monday. India has topped every edition of the South Asian Games since its inception in 1984.
Shiva Thapa (60kg) won a place in India's boxing team for the Asian Games after winning in the trials, while Sarjubala Devi clinched the 51kg spot in the women's squad -- a category that was thrown open after M C Mary Kom pulled out of the equation due to a shoulder problem.
Five-time world champion Mary Kom, returning to the ring after recovering from some niggles that kept her out of the Asian Games, prevailed 5-0 against Kazakhstan's Aigerim Kassanayeva to pick up India's lone senior category gold at the event on Saturday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
The event, in Astana, Kazakhstan, is the final qualifying tournament for women boxers in the 51kg, 60kg and 75kg Olympic categories and has 12 Rio tickets on offer. Which means pugilists will have to at least make the semi-finals in the three chosen divisions to book a berth.
M C Mary Kom notched up her fifth gold medal at the Asian Women's Boxing Championships, winning a fiercely-contested summit clash in the 48kg category in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Wednesday.
India's total medal count stood at 252 (132 gold, 79 silver, 41 bronze), leaving behind hosts Nepal and Sri Lanka behind. Nepal has won 165 medals (45 gold, 44 silver, 76 bronze) while Sri Lanka have collected 197 medals (36 gold, 68 silver, 93 bronze).
M C Mary Kom (51kg) and Shiva Thapa (60kg) were among the prominent names assured of medals as the host nation continued to dominate the ring in the US $100,000 India Open boxing tournament for men and women, in Delhi, on Tuesday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
After failing to qualify for the Commonwealth Games, India's boxing ace M C Mary Kom bounced back in style, beating Pinki Jangra in the selection trials in Patiala, on Wednesday, to qualify for the Asian Games.
The committee also picked 19 sportspersons for the Arjuna Award, including the likes of cricketers Ravindra Jadeja and Poonam Yadav, track and field stars Tejinder Pal Singh Toor, Mohammed Anas and Swapna Barman.
Manjit Singh came from nowhere to snatch the men's 800m gold for the biggest medal of his life but finals continued to be a riddle for P V Sindhu
In a bout which had very few clear punches, Mary Kom prevailed 9-1 to make the squad
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