World C’ships: Kavita enters medal round, Marykom loses

Qinhuangdao, China: Kavita Chahal defeated Semsi Yarali of Turkey on points 15:14 to enter the semi-finals of +81 kg weight category in the 7th AIBA World Women Boxing Championships at Qinhuangdao, China here on Thursday.

In a hard fought quarterfinal bout, Kavita was trailing by a score of 1:3 points at the end of round 1 but managed to reduce the deficit to 6:7 points by the end of round 2. In round 3, Kavita got the lead and ended with a score of 12:9 which she held on tenaciously in round 4 to close at 15:14 pts and ensured at least a podium finish and a medal at the World Championships.

Meanwhile, Marykom lost the much awaited and crucial quarterfinal match against second seeded Natasha Jonas of England in the 51 kgs category by a narrow margin of 11:13 pts. Marykom fought brilliantly and did everything right throughout the contest but Natasha performed slightly better. Right from round 1, Marykom was trailing and the younger English boxer played intelligently to keep moving and not to present a stationary target to Mary. Round 1 was in Natasha’s favour with a score of 2:3 pts.

Although Marykom managed to deliver telling blows to Natasha in round 2, yet she was at the losing end with a score of 5:6 pts. In round 3, a standing count of eight was administered to Marykom by the Referee which could probably have been avoided as the punch was not too hard. That was the turning point and round 3 ended at a score of 8:10 in favour of the English girl. Round 4 was evenly matched and Natasha managed to hold on to her slender lead and the match ended with a final score of 11:13 pt in favour of the English boxer.

There are two slots from Asia for the London Olympics in 51 kgs. No.1 seed Ren Cancan of China whom Marykom had defeated last month at the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia qualified as she moved into the semi-finals from the other pool.

In Marykom’s pool, Kim Hye of DPR Korea who lost to Elena Savelyeva of Russia is still in contention. The semifinal match between Natasha Jonas of England and Elena Savelyeva of Russia on 18 May 2012 will decide the name of the second qualifier in 51 kgs from Asia for the Olympics.

In the 48 kgs category, Pinki Jangra lost to Svetlana Gnevanova of Russia on points 11:13. Pinki was totally offcolour and she could not recover or get into the flow and rythmn needed to win the bout at this  Championship.

In the 81 kgs Jenny Lalremliani lost to Timea Nagy of Hungary on points 11:18.

In the 64 kgs weight category, Meena Rani lost to Mikhaela Mayer of USA on points 10:27.

Laishram Sarita Devi also has a chance to qualify in 60 kgs for London Olympics if second seeded Natasha Jonas representing England to whom Sarita lost were to defeat top seeded Katie Taylor of Ireland in the finals of this  AIBA Women Boxing Championships 2012. Mavzuna Chorieva of Tajkistan whom Sarita had defeated by a large margin at the finals of the Asian Women's Championships last month at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia has qualified as she was in another pool and has reached the semi-finals.