Ten Asian finalists in the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships in Guwahati

The sixth competition day saw the second part of the semi-finals in the Guwahati 2017 AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships in India. Record number of 21 Asian boxers advanced to the semi-finals and our talents topped the No.1 place among the continents. Following the next five Asian triumphs in Guwahati it is confirmed our continent will have 10 finalists in the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships tomorrow.
The total numbers of the boxers are 160 from 31 nations in Guwahati and among them 67 Asian competitors are competing for the medals in the Indian city from 14 countries from our continent. China, Chinese Taipei, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are the participating Asian nations in Guwahati.

Light flyweight (48kg):
India’s new talent 17-year-old Nitu defeated Bulgaria’s two-time EUBC European Youth Champion Emi-Mari Todorova in the Balkan Women’s Youth Tournament in October and she was able to eliminate her main rival once again in Guwahati during her road to the semi-finals. Nitu, who received the right to box in Guwahati only in the final minute, started well in her semi-final against China’s three-time National Champion in various age groups Nie Yuan but her opponent is also adopted the level of the contest quickly. Nitu pressurized her Chinese rival and her strong final round delivered for her a place in the final.
Kazakhstan’s most technician boxer in their women’s youth team is Zhazira Urakbayeva who demonstrated her fantastic skills and tempo spirit in Guwahati in all of her contests during the road to the semi-finals. The AIBA Women’s Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Kazakh talent was too strong for Sri Lanka’s Henayale Gedara Madumali Eranga Priyadarshani and France’s last hope, Gloria D’Almeida in the previous rounds. Urakbayeva started slowly in her semi-final against Ireland’s Caitlin Fryers but from the second round her technique dominated their important bout.

Bantamweight (54kg):
India’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion Sakshi Choudhary was amazing in her preparation events before Guwahati and arrived to the city as one of the best hope of the host country. The 17-year-old Indian eliminated a star rival Russia’s two-time European Champion Indira Shudabaeva and China’s Youth National Champion Lu Xia in her road to the last four. Sakshi felt the rhythm in her semi-final against Japan’s Youth National Champion Sena Irie well enough and raised her tempo in the beginning of each round. The Japanese head coach abandoned the bout in the third round which meant Sakshi could also join to the finals from the host nation’s squad.

Lightweight (60kg):
South Korea’s flag bearer Im Ae Ji was amazing in the first round when she eliminated India’s Golden Gloves of Vojvodina Women’s Youth Tournament winner Vanlalhariatpuii and she continued her strong performance against Bulgaria’s Aslahan Mehmedova and against another top boxer, United States’ Youth National Champion Diana Estrada. The 18-year-old South Korean was still enough hungry in the semi-finals against Australia’s Commonwealth Youth Games winner Ella Boot and won their bout by unanimous decision.
Kazakhstan’s Zhansaya Baltabekova began boxing in 2011 and following her title in the Slovakian Women’s Youth Cup she reached her minimum target, the medal in Guwahati. The Kazakh boxer eliminated Japan’s Seira Hamaguchi, Turkey Zeynep Gedikli and Poland’s Klaudia Budasz in the road to the semi-finals. The 18-year-old Kazakh talent received close range punches from Italy’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Champion Vittoria De Carlo and her efforts were not enough to beat her European rival today.

Heavyweight (81kg):
Kazakhstan’s experienced Araylym Begdilda won three international events this year and she was named as gold medal contender of the heavyweight (81kg) before the start of the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships. The 18-year-old Kazakh boxer eliminated her Polish rival, Ewelina Manka in the quarter-final stage of the competition. Begdilda was confident in all of the rounds of her semi-final bout against Ukraine’s Elizaveta Sliusar and she was able to beat her rival with strong performance once again following their first meeting in Kamenets-Podolskiy on May.
India’s two-time Women’s Youth National Champion Anupama, who began her boxing career in 2014, met in the semi-final with Russia’s EUBC European Women’s Youth Champion Anastasia Rybak in the last contest of the sixth competition day. Anupama tried to do her best and felt the support of the crowd but her skills were not enough to beat her Russian star rival which means she achieved bronze medal in Guwahati.