Sarita settles for bronze

Former world champion L Sarita Devi (60kg) signed off with a bronze medal at the 13th Silesian Open Boxing Tournament for women in which India's junior boxers ruled the ring in Gliwice, Poland.

Sarita, also a multiple-time Asian champion a former Asian Games bronze medallist, was joined by Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) and Pooja Rani (81kg) in the list of those whose campaign came to an end in the semifinals on Friday.

The celebrated M C Mary Kom (48kg) and Manisha (54kg) are the only ones to have made the finals, scheduled Saturday night, among the senior Indian boxers, while former youth world champion Jyoti Gulia (51kg) is in the youth finals.

Sarita lost 0-5 to Kazakhstan's Karina Ibragimova, a decision which the Indian contingent felt did not reflect fairly on the contest.

"It was a controversial decision. Sarita was clearly better but judges did not rule in her favour, even the crowd got behind her after the loss because everyone could see," said one of the coaches travelling with the team.

Lovlina was beaten by Poland's Karolina Koszewska in a split 1-4 verdict, also called "unfair" by the Indians.

Pooja too was defeated by a local favourite in Agata Kaczmarska, the decision being 2-3. But the team had no issues with that close call.

Earlier, the Indian junior boxers produced a terrific performance to sign off with 13 medals -- six gold, six silver and a bronze.

Bharti (46kg), Tingmila Doungel (48kg), Sandeep Kaur (52kg), Neha (54kg), Arshi Khanam (57kg) and Komal (80kg) claimed top honours in their respective categories.

Amisha Bharti (50kg), Sanya Negi (60kg), Dinesh Naik (63kg), Sanjay Gunele (66kg), Raj Sahiba (70kg) and Lipakshi (+80kg) settled for silver medals.

The sole junior bronze went to Neha (75kg).

Meanwhile, in Istanbul, former Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist Pinki Jangra advanced to the finals, while five other Indian boxers made the semifinals of the Ahmet Comart Tournament.

Jangra (51kg) defeated former world champion Steluta Duta in the quarterfinals 5-0 before getting the better of Australian Taylah Robertson in the semis to make the summit clash on Friday night.

Advancing to the semifinals were world silver-medallist Sonia Lather (57kg), Monika (48kg) Meena Kumari (54kg), Simranjit Kaur (64kg) and Bhagyawati Kachari (81kg).

Sonia defeated home favourite Binnaz Ozdemir in a dominating performance that forced the referee to rule in her favour in the second round itself.

Monika pulled off a 4-1 triumph over Bulgarian Emi-Mari Todorova, while Meena out-punched another local hope in Tugcenaz Surmeneli.

Simranjit scored an impressive 5-0 win over Russia's Alexandra Ordina.

Bhagyawati had it easy against Turk Tugba Oz, who could not take the pounding, prompting the referee to award the bout to the Indian in the second round.