Asian U-22 & Youth Boxing C�??Ships: Preeti shines as seven U-22 boxers win gold

Astana (Kazakhstan): Seven Indian U-22 boxers, including Olympics-bound boxer Preeti Sai Pawar, clinched gold medals as the Indian contingent concluded their highly successful campaign with an impressive 43 medals at the ASBC Asian U-22 & Youth Boxing Championships 2024 here on Tuesday. The Indian boxers secured 12 gold, 14 silver and 17 bronze medals to finish with the second-highest medal count only behind the hosts Kazakhstan who have won 48 medals.

Vishvanath Suresh began the day�??s proceedings for India in the 48kg category as the reigning youth world champion didn't waste much time and straightaway got into the action with his sharp punches and outperformed Kazakhstan�??s Karap Yernar 5-0 to win the country's first gold medal in the U-22 category. The next in action was Nikhil (57kg), who defeated Sabyr Yerbolat of Kazakhstan with a referee stop the contest (RSC) win in the third round.

Akash Gorkha (60kg) continued his dream run in the tournament to secure a 4-1 win over Kazakhstan�??s Ruslan Kuzeubayev in what was India�??s third gold medal in the men�??s category. In the women�??s category, Olympics-bound boxer Preeti (54kg) made a remarkable comeback after going down 0-5 in the first round to register a 3-0 win in the final against Kazakhstan�??s Bazarova Elina.

Meanwhile, Poonam Poonia (57kg) and Prachi (63kg) defeated Kazakhstan�??s Sakysh Anel and Anar Tursynbek respectively with an identical 4-1 scoreline.

Later, Muskan (75kg) fought a tough battle against Uzbekistan�??s Zokirova Aziza but ended up winning the bout with a 3-2 split decision verdict to give India its seventh U-22 gold medal.

Preet Malik (67kg), Guddi (48kg), Tamanna (50kg), Saneh (70kg) and Alfiya Pathan (81kg) finished their campaigns with silver medals after going down in their respective finals.

The Indian U-22 team finished with 21 medals including seven gold, five silver and nine bronze medals.

Youth Medallists:

Gold winners:Men: Brijesh Tamta (48kg), Aryan Hooda (51kg), Yashwardhan Singh (63.5kg); Women: Laxmi (50kg), Nisha (52kg).

Silver winners:Men: Sagar Jakhar (60kg), Priyanshu (71kg), Rahul Kundu (75kg), Aryan (92kg); Women: Tamanna (54kg), Nikita Chand (60kg), Shrushti Sathe (63kg), Rudrika (75kg), Khushi Pooniya (81kg).

Bronze winners:Men: Sumit (67kg), Sahil (80kg), Lakshay Rathi (92+kg); Women: Annu (48kg), Yatri Patel (57kg), Parthavi Grewal (66kg), Akansha Phalaswal (70kg), Nirjhara Bana (+81kg).

U-22 Medallists:

Gold winners:Men: Vishvanath Suresh (48kg), Nikhil (57kg), Akash Gorkha (60kg); Women: Preeti (54kg), Poonam Poonia (57kg), Prachi (63kg), Muskan (75kg).

Silver winners:Men: Preet Malik (67kg); Women: Guddi (48kg), Tamanna (50kg), Saneh (70kg), Alfiya Pathan (81kg).

Bronze winners:Men: M. Jadumani Singh (51kg), Ajay Kumar (63.5kg), Ankush (71kg), Dhruv Singh (80kg), Jugnoo (86kg), Yuvraj (92kg); Women: Devika (52kg), Kajal (66kg), Ritika (+81kg).