New Delhi: Jaismine Lamboria (women’s 57 kg) clinched India’s sixth Paris Olympic quota by winning the quarterfinal bout in the Boxing World Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday.
Jaismine, who got a chance to participate in the 57kg category as the Boxing Federation of India had to surrender the quota won by Parveen Hooda, defeated Mali’s Marine Camara by an identical score line, IANS reported.
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 the 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 with 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 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 three rounds against Camara.
However, it was a 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.