Thapa dazzles in Indian Elite Men’s National Championships
Six-time ASBC Asian medalist Shiva Thapa put up a stellar performance to seize a gold medal in the Indian Elite Men’s National Championships held recently at the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar.
Thapa, who holds the record for most medals with a gold, three silvers and two bronzes in the Asian elite level, crushed his biggest contender in the light welterweight (63.5kg) in World Championships bronze winner Manish Kaushik, 5-0, to enter the finals. The 29-year-old national team star then trounced Ankit Narwal with the same scoreline to claim the national title.
Govind Kumar Sahani represented India in the main international events at the minimumweight (48kg) and he defeated all of his main rivals such as Neeraj Swami of Delhi and Keisham Sanjit Singh.
Meanwhile, ASBC Asian Youth Champion Bishwamitra Chongtham punched his way to the flyweight (51kg) gold through a dominant showing capped by 5-0 rout of Zoram Muana.
Two-time Commonwealth Games medalist Mohammed Hussamuddin utilized his experience against youth world titlist Sachin Siwach Singh to rule the featherweight (57kg) division.
Varinder Singh competed enough international events to take the title of the lightweight (60kg) using his brilliant technical skills. Rohit Tokas, a Commonwealth Games veteran was the main gold medal contender at the welterweight (67kg) but a younger hope, Akash earned the title.
Nishant Dev competed for India at the 2021 World Boxing Championships and he returned to the top of the podium after beating Hemant Yadav in the next final. Sumit Kundu is another fantastic talent from the 2002 age group who managed to beat Nikhel Premnath in the final of the middleweight (75kg).
The ASBC Asian Champion Sanjeet eliminated his main rival, Naman Tanwar already at the quarter-final of the heavyweight (92kg) but he suffered an unexpected loss to Naveen Kumar of Haryana in the final.
The National Championships drew a total of 386 boxers from 36 regions and teams across the 13 official weight catetgories. Several of the weight classes saw contests in the Round of 64 due to the high number of participants in the national event. India’s 36 regions and teams participated in the Men’s Elite National Championships in Hisar
List of winners in the Indian Elite Men’s National Championships
48kg: Govind Kumar Sahani
51kg: Bishwamitra Chongtham
54kg: Sachin
57kg: Mohammed Hussamuddin
60kg: Varinder Singh
63.5kg: Shiva Thapa
67kg: Akash
71kg: Nishant Dev
75kg: Sumit Kundu
80kg: Abhimanyu Loura
86kg: Kartik
92kg: Naveen Kumar
+92kg: Narender Berwal
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