AIBA Women's Youth and Junior World Championships: Indian Women Boxers Create History

Four Indian women pugilists etched their names with golden letters in the history of Indian Boxing by becoming champions at the inaugural edition of AIBA Women’s Youth and Junior World Championships in Antalya, Turkey. Sarjubala Devi (48kg) and Minu Basumatary (64kg) in the Youth Championship along with Lalenkawli (46kg) and Nikhat Zareen (50kg) in the Junior Championships defeated their opponents today to claim the title in their respective weight category. It is a momentous feat achieved by these young Indian glove women, and it has further cemented India as a force to be reckoned with in the international world of women’s Boxing.

Sarjubala opened the proceedings, in the light fly weight category in the youth section, against Svetlana Dmitrieva of Russia. The 2010 national youth gold medallist was her usual dominating self as she hammered her Russian opponent in a one-sided affair. With the help of some exquisite combination punches she amassed a huge 15:6 lead in the first round and kept building on it to claim her maiden international gold with a 37:21 victory.

The summit clash of the light welter weight division saw Minu lock horns with Turkish Elif Kayan. Minu, a silver medallist at the national youth championship last year, fought with an aggressive intent, as a part of a well devised strategy by Chief Coach of the youth team, D Chandralal. The approach seemed to pay off pretty well, as the 17 year old never allowed her Turkish counterpart to settle down in four rounds of boxing. In the end she won 26:14 on points to take the title and with it the gold medal.

In the first bout of the Junior Championship Lalenkawli took on Neriman Istik also of Turkey in the battle for light pin weight title. The reigning junior national champion carried her good form of the tournament into the finals as well. She was leading 16:9 after two rounds of play, before she started plundering her Turkish adversary. The 15 year old in the end won the gold with 30:12 victory on points.

Playing in the in the fly weight category Nikhat was up against Ulku Demir, another Turkish boxer and a strong medal contender in the 50kg weight class. But the junior national gold medallist completely outclassed Demir in a lopsided contest. After three rounds of relentless attacking she went on to win the bout on point 27:16 and along with it the yellow metal.

Lalfakzuali in the light bantamweight category, of the Junior championship, unfortunately had to face defeat in the finals, as she went down fighting to Vuong Thi Vy of Vietnam. In what was a very close encounter, the 14 year old eventually lost to the Vietnamese Boxer 12:12 on individual score. She will take home a silver medal for her outstanding performance in the tournament.

Pwilao Basumatary (54kg) and Poonam Chahal (60kg), who lost their semi-finals bouts, will have to settle for a bronze medal. Pwilao went down to Thi Duyen Luu of Vietnam on points 20:13 while Poonam lost to Patrica Berghult of Sweden 17:3 also on points.

Indian Junior and Women boxers have created history here at Antalya by their tremendous grit, determination and courage which they displayed in full measure. Chief Coach of the Indian Youth Women’s Team D Chandralal was extremely pleased with the performance of his wards and expressed, “power packed punches helped India to dominate the final bouts right from the first gong. I am very much satisfied with India returning with four World Champions in the championships and this augurs very well for India in the future”.

Warm Regards

Brig PK Muralidharan Raja, SM, VSM

Secretary General

Indian Boxing Federation