Khelo India 2019, Boxing: Kattimani, Narwal in boxing gold medal bouts

Pune, January 17: Favourites including World Youth bronze medallist Bhavesh Kattimani (Maharashtra) and Asian bronze medallist Ankit Narwal (Haryana) secured final berths in their respective weight classes at Khelo India Youth Games boxing competition here on Thursday.

Kattimani, who trains with Army Sports Institute, overcame a stiff challenge from Manipur’s Kongkham Naothoi Singh in the boys under-21 52kg class. All other bouts contested today were in the boys and girls under-17 categories.

In the light-middleweight class (70kg), Hissar girl Pranjal Yadav stunned 2018 Nations Cup gold medallist, fellow Haryana girl Raj Sahiba of Bhiwani 3-2. Pranjal, who trains with her uncle and Asian bronze medallist Vikash Krishan, will now take on Rajasthan’s Arundhati Choudhary. The Rajasthan girl defeated Sanamacha Chanu (Manipur) 4-1.

In the top fight, both pugilists traded blows aggressively and were warned by the referee frequently. Initially, Singh looked impressive but Kattimani kept calm and held his defence together. “Our coach asked me to change the strategy during the match. He told me to keep Singh away and not to allow him to get a punch combo. I meticulously followed his instructions and got the expected results,” said Kattimani.

After a fruitful year in 2018, the World Youth bronze medallist is eying a berth in the Indian team for the next Commonwealth Games.

In the lightweight class (60kg), Narwal knocked out Rahul Mamgai (UP) 4-1 and will take on Maharashtra’s Laisharam Singh in the final after the latter outboxed Saurabh Chand of Uttarakhand 5-0.

In the girls Under-17 category, Pune’s Devika Ghorpade avenged her defeat against Haryana’s Rinku in the pinweight (46kg) category. Last year, Devika had gone down to Rinku in the final of the Khelo India School Games, but this time she came up with a plan and eliminated her rival with a 3-2 score.

“Considering that Devika and Rinku would probably face each other in the semi-finals or final, we had chalked out our strategy. Rinku is a southpaw and Devika got confused against her last time,” said Devika’s coach and former Olympian Manoj Pingale.

“As she had little experience of facing left-handers, we managed to get few southpaw sparring partners for her. It was difficult to get such players in girls. So, we called a few boys to train with her. This paid off and Devika comfortably secured a win.”

Results (all semifinals)

Boys U21

Light Fly (49kg) Ajay Pendor (Mah) bt Anshul Punia (Chd) 3-2; Barun Singh (Mah) bt V Swaroop (AP) 4-1;

Fly (52kg) Bhavesh Kattimani (Mah) bt Kongkham Naothoi Singh (MN) 3-2; Anwar (Kar) bt Kipa Parang (Aru) KO;

Bantam (56kg) Pawan Gurang (Utk) bt Rohit Chavan (Mah) 5-0; Akash Kumar (Har) bt Md Etash Khan (Mah) 3-2;

Light (60kg) Ankit (Har) bt Hitesh Kumar (D&D) 5-0; Harivansh Tawari (Mah) walkover

Light Welter (64kg) Mohit (Har) bt Shashikant Yadav (Mah) 5-0; Akash (Har) bt Amit Kumar (D&D) 5-0

Welter (69kg) Naveen Boora (HAR) bt Md Rahil (Mah) 5-0; Abhilash (Del) bt Pralhad Singh (PB) 3-2;

Middle (75kg) Nitin Kumar (Har) bt Ismeet Singh (UP) 4-1; Nikhil Dubey (Mah) bt Leitanthem Meitei (MN) 3-2

Light Heavy (81kg) Mohit (Har) bt Rahul Harpal (D&D) 5-0; Sanjay (Har) bt Satender Singh (Mah) 3-2

Heavy (91kg) Shivam (Del) bt Shaquib Akram (Mah) 5-0; Himmat Singh (Har) bt Kapil Pokharya (Utk) 4-1

Super heavy (91+kg) Akhil Kumar Poonia (Raj) bt Mohit (Har) 3-2; Harshpreet Saharwat (UP) bt Aman (Mah) 3-2.

Boys U17

Pin (46kg) Ruchir Shrivas (MP) bt Anshul Saroha (HAR) 3-2; Manish Rathore (UP) bt Rudra Pratap Singh (CHD) 3-2;

Light Fly (48kg) Bishwamitra Chongtham (MAH) bt Nameirakpam Singh (MAH) 5-0; Zorammuana (MIZ) bt Kabir Pandit (HAR) 5-0;

Fly (50kg) Laldinsanga (MIZ) bt Naveen Siwach (HAR) 3-2; Shaikhom Singh (MAH) bt Vikash (HAR) 5-0;

Light Bantam (52kg) Sanjay Kumar (UTK) bt Navraj Chauhan (HP) 5-0; Ankit (HAR) bt Harshit (HAR) 4-1;

Bantam (54kg) Yaiphaba Meitei (MAH) bt Abhinash Jamwal (PB) 4-1; Yashwardhan Singh (HAR) bt Pardeep (HAR) 3-2;

Feather (57kg) Akash Gorkha (MAH) bt Aman Duhan (HAR) 5-0; Vanshaj (HAR) bt Deepak (HAR) 5-0;

Light (60kg) Ankit Narwal (HAR) bt Rahul Mamgai (UP) 4-1; Laisharam Singh (MAH) bt Saurabh Chand (UTK) 5-0;

Light Welter (63kg) Ajay Kumar (HAR) bt Saksham Singh (UP) 4-1; Ankush (HAR) bt Dhruv Singh (DEL) 5-0;

Welter (66kg) Aman (CHD) bt Pankaj Kumar (CHD) 4-1; Manish (HAR) bt Vikas Chauhan (UP) 5-0;

Light Middle (70kg) Sumit (HAR) bt Yatinder Bharadwaj (HAR) 5-0; Rahul (CHD) bt Tonit (HAR) 3-2.

Girls: U17

Pin (46kg) Tamanna (HAR) bt Priyanka Borah (ASM) 5-0; Devika Ghorpade (MAH) bt Rinku (HAR) 3-2;

Light Fly (48kg) Elta (PB) bt Sanjeeta (HAR) 5-0; Tingmila Doungel (MN) bt Laxmi Patil (MAH) 5-0;

Fly (50kg) Nongthomban Devi (MN) bt Sheetal Rani (HAR) 3-2; Anju Devi (KAR) bt Suman Yadav (GOA) 5-0;

Light Bantam (52kg) N Babyrojisana Chanu (MN) bt Ritika (UP) 4-1; Saraswati Boro (ASM) bt Lalthuhlungdiki (MIZ) 5-0;

Bantam (54kg) Thongan Kunjurani Devi (MN) bt Poonam (PB) 5-0; Poonam (PB) bt Neha Mehta (UTK) 5-0;

Feather (57kg) Sovi Jajo (MN) bt Arshi Khanam (RAJ) 3-2; Huidrom Ambeshori Devi (MN) bt Neha (HAR) 5-0;

Light (60kg) Yashi Sharma (HAR) bt Elisabath Sinu (KER) 5-0; Preeti Dahiya (HAR) bt Sana Gonsalves (MAH) RSC;

Light Welter (63kg) Vinka (HAR) bt Sneha (HP) 5-0; Mahi Raghav (HAR) bt Nisha Gurjar (RAJ) 3-2;

Welter (66kg) Mitika Gunele (MAH) bt Alisha Sunny (KER) 5-0; Muskan (HAR) bt Harnoor Kaur (CHD) RSC;

Light middle (70kg) Pranjal Yadav (HAR) bt Raj Sahiba (HAR) 3-2; Arundhati Choudhary (RAJ) bt Sanamacha Chanu (MN) 4-1.