Marykom

Hanoi: Four-time world champion boxer, M.C. Marykom began her campaign in a dramatic fashion, getting twice penalised for foul play in her 46kg first round victory over Ting Lo Yueh of China in the third Asian Indoor Games Sunday.

Mary Kom won 14-9 in a tense bout to advance to the semi-finals.

Four other women boxers also reached the medal rounds after victories Sunday. Chhoto Loura scored an easy 10-2 victory over Sri Lanka’s Kumari Nilmini to move into the 51kg semis while Kavita Goyat beat local boxer Huong Nguyen Thi Thiu 3-2 to make the 64kg final.

Earlier Saturday, L. Sarita Devi (54kg) and N. Usha (57kg) had qualified for the semis.

Marykom took a 6-2 lead into the the third round.

In the third round, the Vietnamese referee gave a public warning to Marykom , when she was leading at 7-3, for hitting the opponent behind her neck.

With the score 7-5, the referee had given another warning within 15 seconds and a further two-points were conceded for a repeat of the earlier offence. That tied the scores at 7-7.

However, Marykom intelligently earned two important points to end round three at 9-7.

In the fourth and final round, Marykom threw in scoring blows on Yueh to clinch the issue at 14-9.

Meanwhile, Prateeksha Santosh Sunday bagged India’s first gold in the perform category of vovinam, a Vietnamese martial art form. She had won silver in the fight category. (PTI)