Nikhat Zareen, Simranjit Kaur assured of bronze at Youth World Boxing Championships

Nikhat Zareen

Reigning Junior World Champion Nikhat Zareen (54kg) and 2012 Junior National Silver medallist Simranjit Kaur (60kg) marched into the semi-finals of the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships on Wednesday (25 Sep 2013) in Bulgaria.

The two young Indian glove-women defeated their respective opponents in the evening session of play at Albena to assure themselves of at least a bronze medal performance from the Championship.

Zareen, who won the gold medal in fly weight division at the inaugural edition of the AIBA Women’s Junior World Boxing Championship in 2011, has now moved into the Youth category and fights in the bantam weight division.

In the quarter-finals at the Black Sea coastal town of Albena, she was once against seen in top form. The 17-year-old took on Desire Galli from Italy. The Italian boxer was no match against the swift movement and the power hitting of Zareen. She quickly gathered good momentum and went on to dominate the entire bout. She made her place in the round of four by virtue of a unanimous decision in the end.

In the semi-final, the Indian is slated to go up against Viktoriya Virt of Ukraine.

Simranjit Kaur

Light weight boxer Simranjit was also in great shape as she beat Justine Moerl from Germany in what was a well strategised bout. The 18-year-old displayed great precision and timing; her cracking straight jabs that sprung out from an indestructible defence were very hard for the German to counter. Kaur waited for the right moments and kept nicking points to gain the advantage. She claimed her semi-final spot with a unanimous decision from the judges.

In the penultimate round, she will lock horns with Aidana Arapbayeva from Kazakhstan.

But there was disappointment for the reigning Junior World Champions Lalenkawli (48kg). She lost in her quarter-final bout against local boxer Venelina Valentinova Poptoleva. But the 18-year-old did not make things easy for the Bulgarian, it was a fight to the finish but in the end the Indian came up short in what was a split decision.

Earlier in the tournament, 14-year-old junior boxer Asha Roka (48kg) powered through to the semi-finals of the Junior group. The reigning national champion wasthe lone Indian to make it to the penultimate round of the Women’s Junior World Championship. She beat Osormaa Sarantsetseg from Mongolia by virtue of a unanimous decision.