Mary Kom seeks 7th gold as women boxers' campaign begins at WC

Mary Kom (51kg) will start her quest for a record seventh gold medal as a total of four Indian boxers have been seeded at the Women’s World Boxing Championships beginning in Ulan-Ude, Russia tomorrow. All eyes will be on Mary Kom, who is the most successful boxer at this prestigious tournament with a rich haul of six gold medals and one silver. Even though her last triumph was in 48kg, she will be eyeing the yellow metal in 51kg in the 11th edition of the World Championships after the 48kg was discontinued at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Mary Kom will be looking to create an impact

While this event will not guarantee a berth at next year’s Olympics, a gold and silver will ensure an automatic spot at the qualifiers to be held in China next year. The ace Manipuri pugilist will thus be more than ready to make her mark when she starts off her campaign as the third seed on October 8 after receiving a first-round bye. Mary Kom, who won the India Open and the President’s Cup in Indonesia this year, will get a good opportunity to avenge her 2016 defeat to Germany’s Azize Nimani, provided the latter wins her opener. Reigning European champion Busenaz Cakiroglu of Turkey looks likely to be the Indian’s semi-final opponent while North Korea’s Asian Games silver medallist and top seed Pang Choi Mi would look to give Mary some stiff competition in the final. 

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Tough obstacles ahead of Sarita Devi

While the London Olympic bronze medallist’s draw appears to be hassle-free on paper, former world champion Sarita Devi has quite a few tough obstacles dotted in her section in 60kg. The fourth seed, who too has an opening-round bye, has to contend with the likes of Julieth Dayana Cordero of Colombia, eighth seed Shoira Zulkaynarova and second seed Sudaporn Seedondee all huddled in the lower half of the draw. 

Lovlina Borgohain is another of India’s medal prospects a year after securing the bronze in 69kg in 2018. The third seed has been presented with a bye following which she takes on the winner of the bout between Kimberly Gittens and Bel Ahbib Oumayma.  She is in the path of top seed and defending champion Chen Nien-Chin whom she could face in a repeat of last year’s semi-finals which the Taipei ace won. Saweety Boora, who beat Asian Championships gold medallist Pooja Rani in the trials, has Mongolia’s Myagmarjargal Mukhbat first up in the 75kg category. The Indian squad this time has a sprightly mix of youth and experience. 

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India's boxers to make their debut

Besides the veterans, Manju Rani (48kg), Jamuna Boro (54kg), Neeraj (57kg), Manju Bomboriya (64kg), and Nandini (81kg) will all be making their debut. Out of them, Neeraj will be looking to make a strong impact after consistent performances throughout the season. After a gold at the India Open and the Umakhanov Memorial International, the young Haryana boxer will take on China’s Jieru Qiao after a bye in the first round. Neeraj will be put to a stern test in the next round for there awaits second seed Stanimira Petrova of Bulgaria, the reigning European champion as well as a former world champion.

In 48kg, Strandja Cup silver medallist Manju Rani has been seeded sixth and has got a bye as well. She will kickstart her challenge against Venezuela’s Cedeno Rojas after which there is a likely showdown with the top seed and last year’s bronze medallist Kim Hyang Mi of North Korea. While Indonesia President's Cup gold medallist Jamuna Boro will face Mongolia’s Michidmaa Erdenedalai in 54kg, Manju Bomboriya has to contend with fourth seed Angela Carini of Italy in 64kg. Nandini in 81kg will take on Germany’s Irina-Nicoletta Schonberger in her maiden appearance at this tournament. In 81+ kg, Kavita Chahal needs to win just one round to assure herself of a medal in a draw that has only seven boxers.

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