Indian Open Boxing Mary Sarita lead hosts' gold rush on final day

    By Tapan Mohanta<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Guwahati, May 24 (PTI) Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom and the seasoned L Sarita Devi spearheaded India's gold rush at the second India Open boxing tournament, which concluded on Friday.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Asian Games gold medalist Amit Panghal thwarted a spirited challenge from giant killer Sachin Siwach with a well-calculated display to clinch the gold by a split 4-1 verdict in the highly-competitive 52kg men's category.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Overall, India swept the medals in four men's categories (52kg, 81kg, 91kg and +91kg) and three in women's (51kg, 57kg and 75kg) to conclude their campaign with 12 of the 18 gold medals up for grabs.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; India, who had bagged six golds in the inaugural edition in New Delhi last year, thus doubled their gold count in the continental meet that witnessed a depleted field with a no-show from Uzbekistan.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; World championship medallist Sarita Devi won her first gold in three years beating Simranjit Kaur 3-2 by virtue of a split decision.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Making her debut in 60kg category, Simranjit, a World Championship bronze medallist and Asian Championship silver medallist, impressed in the first round with some telling blows.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But Sarita Devi did not lose ground and fought back with a counter-attacking display as she celebrated the win looking upwards, dedicating the gold to her mother Laishram Khomthonbi, who passed away last year.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "This gold belongs to my mother. I lost my dad early and my mother made me the boxer that I'm now. This gold has come after a long time. I'm missing her very much at this moment," Sarita got emotional as she spoke about her mother, who died after suffering from cancer.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sarita Devi, who won a bronze at the Asian Championship earlier this year en route to her eighth medal in the continental meet, last won a gold at the 2016 South Asian Games in Shillong.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Olympic bronze medallist Mary Kom saw off a valiant fight by former national champion Vanlal Duati of Mizoram to emerge winner by unanimous decision. Nikhat Zareen and Jyoti took the bronze medals for an all-Indian finish in the podium.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Home favourite and world championship bronze medalist Shiva Thapa avenged his last year's semifinal defeat to defending champion Manish Kaushik to grab the 60kg gold in front of a boisterous crowd at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thapa began with a tight vigil and was seen in his aggressive best from second round onwards en route to get an unanimous verdict from the five judges.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Having moved to the new weight earlier this year, Panghal, who had won the Asiad gold in 49kg, had a tough first round with the former world youth champion Siwach using his height advantage to full credit.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Taller by six inches, Siwach who ousted world championship bronze medallist Rogen Ladon and Commonwealth Games champion Gaurav Solanki in the previous rounds, was full of energy and confidence.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To negate this, Panghal opted the waiting game strategy, ducking most of his opponent's punches and staying out of his range.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I think he's the tallest boxer I faced till date. I fought with some tall boxers in the Asian Championship but Sachin is taller than them," the 5'3" Panghal, who won the 52kg gold in Asian Championship beating Hasanboy Dusmatov, said.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "You have to have a long reach and play an in and out game. It takes a lot of effort and stamina," he said, terming it the toughest bout of the meet. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National champion P L Prasad and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Solanki took the bronze in in the 52kg category with another India clean sweep.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; India had a setback in the 64kg, when national champion Rohit Tokas suffered a knee twist in the first round and forfeited the bout to former Olympian Richarno Colin, a bronze medallist at the New Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tokas, who won a bronze at the Makran Cup earlier this year, thus had to settle for the silver, bettering his bronze medal feat at the last edition of India Open.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; India also could not add their gold count in the men's 75kg final where Ashish Kumar pulled out against Filipino Eumir Felix Delos Santos.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Asian Championship silver medalist suffered a forehead injury in his semifinal win against Aphisit Khankhokkruea of Thailand on Thursday. PTI TAP  KHS<br>KHS