Devika, Laxmi Patil keep Maharashtra’s chances alive in boxing ring at Khelo India Youth Games

Pune, January 15: Local pugilists Devika Ghorpade and Laxmi Patil stormed into the semifinals of the girls under-17 boxing event at the Khelo India Youth Games here on Tuesday.

In the pinweight (46kg) class, Devika outboxed Goa’s Aarti Chouhan 5-0 while Laxmi prevailed over Ayushi Awasthi of Madhya Pradesh in the light-fly (48kg) class. In the same class, Manipur’s Tingmila Doungel got a walk0over after her opponent Anchal Singh (Uttar Pradesh) was found overweight.

Devika, who won a silver medal at the National School Games last year is aiming to win gold in her maiden Khelo India Games. “The major hurdle is Haryana’s Rinku and we will face one other in the semifinals. I am preparing myself for that bout,” Devika said. Rinku beat statemate Rajni 5-0. The other semifinal will be between Assam’s Priyanka Borah and Haryana’s Tamanna.

Maharashtra’s Prajkta Shinde who beat Mudrika Gururani (Uttarakhand) in the light bantam (52kg) class on the first day, went down fighting to Assam’s Saraswati Boro 2-3. Prajkta stared well and dominated the first round, but after the break, Boro launched a series of attacks. Prajkta tried her best to keep Boro at a distance and scored some points herself but the Assam girl scripted a narrow victory.

Maharashtra’s challenge in the girls' Under-21 division came to an end after Poonam Kaithwas went down to Haryana’s Jony 5-0 and when the referee stopped the contest between Himachal Pradesh’s Earika Shekhar and Nikita Rokade in favour of the Himachali boxer.

Six medals assured in the boys’ category

Banking on performances from the Boys Sports Company, Maharashtra have guaranteed six medals in the boys’ categories.

In the boys’ Under-17 light fly (48kg) class, Bishwamitra Chongtham continued his winning run beating Punjab’s Abhishek Singh by 4-1 score. In 50kg, Shaikhom Singh defeated Delhi’s Yash Kaushik 5-0. Another Maharashtra pugilist to enter the semifinals was Yaiphaba Meitei, who scripted a 5-0 win over Bhinder Singh of Punjab.

Nikhil Dubey (middleweight, 75kg) and MD Rahil (welterweight) also booked berths in the boys' Under-21 semi-finals with easy victories over Arshdeep Singh (Punjab) and Haryana’s Sachin respectively, while Shahikant Yadav (light welter) got a walkover from Abhishek Yadav (Uttar Pradesh).