Aichi-Nagoy: India’s boxers have already improved on their medal haul from the last Asian Games, and the gold medal bouts are still to come. Ankush Panghal and Parveen Hooda won their semi-finals on Tuesday, ensuring India’s assured medal haul of 6 is closer to a golden finish.
Three of India’s six assured medallists are making their Games debuts. The tally has come from a smaller contingent than last time, with two world champion boxers absent. India had won four medals at the previous edition, when it competed in 13 categories compared with 11 this time.
Ankush delivered the day’s biggest upset. Boxing at his first Asian Games, he beat Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Erkinboev, the reigning 75kg world champion, 4-1 in the men’s 80kg semi-final. The win made him India’s first male boxer to reach an Asian Games final in eight years.
Parveen booked her place in the women’s 65kg final with a 5-0 win over China’s Li Shu. She is only the third Indian woman boxer to reach a final at the Games. India now has two boxers competing for gold at the same edition for the first time since 2010.
Narender Berwal finished with bronze in the men’s +90 kg category after a 0-5 semi-final defeat to Kazakhstan’s reigning world champion Aibek Oralbay. It is Narender’s second successive Asian Games bronze.
Five medals could yet change colour: Ankush and Parveen have reached their finals, while Priya Ghanghas (Women’s 60kg), Kapil Pokhariya (Men’s 90kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (Women’s 75kg) will fight for final places on Wednesday.
