Indian boxers Amit Panghal, Jaismine clinch 2024 Paris Olympics berths

Indian boxers Amit Panghal and Jaismine Lamboria sealed their 2024 Paris Olympics berths after winning their quarterfinal bouts in the Boxing World Qualifiers in Bangkok.

Panghal, the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, sealed a quota in the 51kg category while Jaismine will play in the 57 kg category.

With the duo’s qualification, the Indian boxing contingent for the 2024 Paris Olympics is now six.

Panghal got a unanimous 5:0 verdict against China’s Liu Chuang in the 51kg quarterfinals while Jaismine beat Mali’s Marine Camara with the same unanimous 5:0 scoreline.

India’s women’s 57kg category was in the news recently with Parveen Hooda being suspended by the IATA for a whereabouts failure. Jaismine, who was named as a reserved boxer, got a chance to compete in the 57kg category at the World Qualifiers and went on to make the most of it.

Panghal started on a slow note but his quick-fire movements saved the day for him. His combination of jabs and uppercuts were too hot for Chuang to handle.

Although Chuang won Round 1 with a 4:1 margin, Panghal came back into the match with a different aggression from Round 2. He landed fine punches and attacked at will as Chuang lost the plot soon.

The deciding round was a frantic display of boxing as they attempted to outpunch each other but it was Panghal who ultimately came out on top as he clinched the bout with a unanimous verdict.

However, it was an all-Jaismine show in the 57kg category. The pugilist, originally in the 60kg category, dominated from the word go and came out all guns blazing to clinch the bout in another unanimous decision.

However, it was a disappointing end for Sachin Siwach as he lost 0:5 to Kyrgyzstan’s Munarbek Seiitbek Uul in the third place play-off bout in the men’s 57kg category.

Nishant Dev had earlier clinched a 2024 Paris Olympics spot in the World Boxing Qualifiers as India had earlier earned three quotas at the 2022 Asian Games through Nikhat Zareen (women’s 50kg), Preeti (54kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg).