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Published 23:29 IST, April 26th 2019

Asian Boxing Championship: Amit Panghal and Pooja Rani make India proud by striking gold; Virender Sehwag lauds the duo

Amit Panghal (52kg) picked up his second successive gold medal of the year, while Pooja Rani (81kg) finished on top among the women to bring a fine end to India’s phenomenal campaign in the Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok on Friday.

Reported by: Digital Desk
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Amit Panghal (52kg) picked up his second successive gold medal of the year, while Pooja Rani (81kg) finished on top among the women to bring a fine end to India’s phenomenal campaign in the Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok on Friday.

India ended the event with 13 medals — two gold, four silver and seven bronze medals — in the tournament which was held simultaneously for men and women for the first time.

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This was Panghal’s maiden international competition since moving up to 52kg from the 49kg division earlier this year. Panghal had won a bronze in the 2015 edition of the event.

Former Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag came forward to congratulate the two boxers for winning laurels in the Championship.

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Viru congratulated the duo and stated that he was very proud of them for having made the nation proud by striking gold.

Here's his tweet.

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Even the netizens came forward and joined Sehwag in congratulating the champion boxers.

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Panghal, who won the Asian Games gold medal last year, defeated Korea's Kim Inkyu in a unanimous decision. He had come into this tournament on the back of a gold at the Strandja Memorial Tournament in February in Bulgaria.

Meanwhile, the 28-year old Pooja Rani, a silver medalist at the event in 2012, struck gold among the women by defeating China's Wang Lina. The Haryana-pugilist took to boxing against the wishes of her father, who relented after a six-month pleading by the boxer and her coaches in Bhiwani. She also has an Asian Games bronze medal, which she claimed in 2014.

However, national champion Deepak Singh (49kg), Kavinder Singh Bisht (56kg) and Ashish Kumar (75kg) signed off with silver medals among the men after contrasting losses. In the women’s draw, national champion Simrajit Kaur (64kg) ended with a silver medal.

Shiva Thapa (60kg), Ashish (69kg) and Satish Kumar (+91kg) claimed bronze medals among the men this time.

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(With inputs from PTI)

19:01 IST, April 26th 2019