A judging controversy couldn't stop the Indian juggernaut from rolling with as many as eight pugilists reaching the quarter-finals in the ongoing AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships on Monday. Sonia Chahal (57kg), Pinki Rani (51kg) and Simranjit Kaur (64kg) won their respective pre-quarter final bouts to place themselves just a step away from assuring a medal while Saweety Boora (75kg) was the lone Indian boxer to lose her bout on an eventful day at the KD Jhadav Stadium in New Delhi.
MC Mary Kom (48kg), Manisha Moun (54kg), Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) and Kachari Bhagyabati (81kg) booked their quarter-finals on Sunday while Seema Poonia will directly begin her campaign at the last-eight stage against Xiaoli Yang of China. Former champion L Sarita Devi (60kg) was the second Indian boxer to bow out of the tournament in the pre-quarter finals after losing to 2016 World Championship silver medallist Kellie Harrington of Ireland in a split 3-2 verdict.
The best show for the Indians was in the 2006 edition at home when the country won 8 medals. The country won just two and one medal in the last two editions and this one may turn out to be the best in recent times. The fifth day's proceedings were, however, marred by a judging controversy when 2014 gold-medallist Stanimira Petrova of Bulgaria (57kg) accused the judges of "corruption" after losing her pre-quarterfinal to India's Sonia Chahal.
The 21-year-old Sonia, daughter of a Haryana farmer, was trailing after the second round but recovered well in the final round to win the close bout on 3-2 split decision. All the five judges gave 10-9 points in favour of the Indian in the third round and that sealed the win for the local hope. Last year, she won a gold in the Serbia Cup. She won a bronze in the Ahmet Comert Boxing Tournament this year. Sonia next faces Arias Castenada Yeni Marcela of Columbia in the quarterfinals.
Pinki and Simranjit, on the other hand, notched up easy wins with all the judges giving unanimous 5-0 verdicts in their favour. Pinki next faces Pang Chol Mi of North Korea in the quarterfinals. The 23-year-old Simranjit's 5-0 win against Megan Reid of Scotland, was the most impressive among Indian bouts of the day as she won all the rounds. India, however, suffered a jolt with Saweety Boora losing her opening bout to Elzbieta Wojcik of Poland in 75kg in a unanimous decision.
