Boxing World Qualifiers: 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Amit Panghal (51kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (women’s 57 kg) clinched India’s fifth and sixth Paris Olympic quotas respectively by winning their quarterfinal bouts in the Boxing World Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday.
Panghal relied on his quick-fire movement and combination of jabs and uppercuts to overcome a slow start and earn a unanimous 5:0 verdict against China’s Liu Chuang in the 51kg quarterfinals while Jaismine, who got a chance to participate in the 57kg category as Boxing Federation of India had to surrender the quota won by Parveen Hooda, defeated Mali’s Marine Camara by an identical score line.
India had sent a 10-member contingent to Bankok which included seven men and three women boxers. Nishant Dev became the first Indian male boxer to earn qualification in 71kg category when he defeated Moldova’s Vasile Cebotari in the quarterfinals on Friday.
India had earlier earned three quotas at the 2022 Asian Games through Nikhat Zareen (women’s 50kg), Preeti (54kg) and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) by virtue of all of them finishing on the podium in Guangzhou, China.
Panghal added to that list on Sunday with a fine display of tenacity and aggression against Chuang, who had drawn first blood by claiming Round 1 4:1 on the back some fine punches.
But the Indian national champion came out all guns blazing in Round 2 and attacked relentlessly to grab the advantage, impressing all the five judges. The deciding round was a frantic display of boxing by both pugilists as they attempted to outpunch each other.
Panghal ultimately came out on top as he smartly manoeuvred his Chinese opponent and landed his combination on his face and body to clinch the bout with a unanimous verdict.
In the evening session, Jaismine justified the selectors decision to field her in 57kg instead of her regular 60kg weight category, where she was a reserve for this event, by dominating all the three rounds against Camara.
However, it was disappointing end for Sachin Siwach in the final bout for the Indian contingent as he went down 0:5 against Kyrgyzstan’s Munarbek Seiitbek Uul in the third place play-off of the men’s 57kg category to decide the quota spot.