Mary Kom, Sarita move to next round

SAG selection trials:

From a Correspondent

SHILLONG: Star boxer MC Mary Kom made it to the next round of the South Asian Games qualifiers and test event at the NEHU, SAI Special Area Games in Shillong on Tuesday ousting her spirited rival, Mahe Devi of Manipur.

The Asian Games gold medalist, who is competing in the fly weight category, played a patient game to start with letting her opponent come forward even as she took control with quick jabs that certainly unsettled Mahe in round 1. The young rival, however, showed grit in the second and third rounds, but Mary Kom, though visibly not in the best of forms, won the bout 3-0 without much fuss.

Among the stand out performers of the day, however, was L Sarita Devi who rattled her opponent with a combition of hooks and jabs in the first few seconds itself. Shiwani Bharti from Bihar ended being technical knockout in the very first round of the light weight category bout.

Sajubala Devi from RSPB was too quick for her Andhra Pradesh opponent, Puniyavati. The aggressive Sajubala delivered three straight punches to unsettle the rival and carried the momentum to the successive rounds to move to the quarters with ease.

As many as 38 boxers from across the country competed in the prelimiry round of the SAG qualifiers.

Meanwhile, both boxers from Meghalaya, Ramisha and Phiralin failed to make the cut.

The top boxers will now slog it out in the quarterfil round to be held tomorrow.

List of boxers who made the cut:

Fly weight (48-51 kg):

MC Mary Kom (AIP)

Sajubala (RSPB)

Chanda U (MAH)

Lalita Gurung (SKM)

Nikhit Zareen (TEL)

Jyoti (Raj)

Soniya (UP)

Light Weight (57-60 kg):

Sarita Devi (AIP)

Sonia (RSPB)

Pooja (Del)

Lal Buatsaihi (Miz)

Pravish Chanu (Man)

P Basumatary (Asm)

Mee Kumari (Ker)

Mamta (Raj)

Middle weight (69-75 kg):

Monika (RSPB)

Bhagyawati (Asm)

Pooja Rani (Har)