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India ended their Elorda Cup 2023 campaign with a total of five medals. The second edition of the boxing tournament witnessed five boxers grabbing bronze medals for the country. Notably, the bronze medallists will take 200 US Dollars home as the prize money.
Vijay Kumar, Keisham Sanjit Singh, Sumit, Sushma, and Neema couldn't get through the semi-finals and had to settle for bronze in Astana in Kazakhstan. Keisham Sanjit Singh, Sumit, and Neema bowed out of the tournament with bronze on Friday, June 30.
Notably, Keisham Sanjit Singh (48kg) and Sumit (86kg) had to give walkovers in their respective opponents due to a last-minute collapse in the original schedule. The duo had to settle for bronze because of the same. This came as a shock as both Indian stars were in good touch throughout the Elorda Cup.
The Boxing Federation of India had promised action against the change in schedule and called it an injustice to the Indian pugilists. The BFI has already sent a complaint to the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation, in order to protest what had happened.
Neema was the last India to bow out on Friday as the Indian boxer lost her semi-final match against Kazakhstan's Laura Yessenkeldi. The Indian star went down fighting in the 63 kg category.
Vijay Kumar and Sushma bow out with bronze on Saturday
Saturday witnessed a couple of Indian boxers fighting for a spot in the final. At first, Vijay Kumar began the medal hunt against Beknur Ozhanov of Kazakhstan. The Indian boxer fought hard, but the local star proved too good for the Indian. He ended with a 4-1 to move to the final, and Vijay Kumar bowed out of the tournament with a bronze.
Sushma was the last Indian to take the ring in the Elorda Cup. The Indian boxer faced a tough opponent in the 81kg category. Fariza Sholtay, the 2023 World Championships Bronze medallist, showed her experience against the Indian star in the 81 kg category.
Sushma had no answers for the local boxer as she faced a 0-5 defeat by unanimous decision. Her defeat concluded India's journey in the second edition of the Elorda Cup.
