Applauding These Indian Women Boxers Who Make Their Way to Seven Gold Medals!
For so long, boxing had been a “men’s sport”, but the moment women boxers entered the ring, they changed the face of the game. Earlier it was just Mary Kom, and she became the guiding light for many young women not only in India but globally. The Indian women boxers have brought several laurels to the country, leaving the men far behind and they continue to do so, now more than ever!
One such memorable event happened on April 22nd when the Indian women boxers made history by clinching seven gold medals in the 2021 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Kielce, Poland. Gitika (48kg) Naorem Babyrojisana Chanu (51kg), Poonam (57kg), Vinka (60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (69kg), T Sanamacha Chanu (75kg), and Alfiya Pathan (+81kg), all came home with gold medals dangling from their necks. The team finished №1, beating Russia to the position with eight gold medals and three bronze medals.
The Haryana boxer Gitika led India to a terrific start by securing a 5–0 win over Poland’s Natalia Kuczewska in 48kg finals and winning the first medal. Next, Babyrojisana (51kg) and Poonam (57kg) defeated Valeriia Linkova of Russia and France’s Sthelyne Grosy respectively, with a similar margin, adding two more golds to India’s tally. They did not allow the opponents to score even a single point and led India straight to win.
Vinka (60kg), on the other hand, stole the show with her punches that left her opponent Kazakhstan’s Zhuldyz Shayakhmetova unable to respond. The referee had to stop the match midway, declaring India as the winner.
Rajasthan boxer Arundhati registered a 5–0 win against Barbara Marcinkowska of Poland in the 69kg category with her impeccable punches. T Sanamacha Chanu, a youth champion who trains at MC Mary Kom’s academy in Imphal, defeated Kazakhstan’s Dana Diday to claim India’s sixth gold medal in the 75 kg category.
Maharashtra’s Alfiya Pathan wrapped up the women’s boxing event in style with a 5–0 win over Moldova’s Daria Kozorez, handing over the Indian team a seven-on-seven lead in the championship.
Ecstatic with the victory of the Indian team, Ajay Singh, President of the Boxing Federation of India, said, “This has been an amazing effort from our youth boxers, especially when the players had to be confined at home for most part of the last year and only make do with online training sessions. Our coaches and support staff did a stellar job despite the limitations and challenges. I congratulate all the winners on this unprecedented medal haul. This achievement is a testament of the talent we have in the upcoming generation of Indian boxing,” as reported in the Outlook India.
Following the footsteps of women boxers, Sachin, the male finalist, added the eighth gold medal in India’s bag by winning in the 56kg category. India already had three bronze medals from Bishwamitra Chongthom (49kg), Ankit Narwal (64kg), and Vishal Gupta (91kg) semi-finals finish in the men’s section.
The boxers in the country never disappoint with their performance in the ring, be it in the local ground or international. Previously, the Indian team has bagged five gold medals in the 2017 edition of the Youth World Championships in Guwahati. The 20-member team also bettered their previous best of 10 medals in the 2018 edition of the games in Hungary, with 11 medals to their credit this time.
Amidst the chaos and gloom that has engulfed the country in the present, it was one joyous news that made us all proud. The celebrations may have been small, but the heart of every citizen must have swelled with pride after this incredible win. It also hints at the promising future women boxers have in India, and this victory paves the way for many young boxers. We congratulate the entire team on consistently putting up a valiant battle and making the nation proud.
Be it sports or professional sciences, there is no territory that women haven’t conquered yet. Did you know about the game-changing technology women scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute have developed? Read this blog to know about it.
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Originally published at https://www.fuzia.com.