India’s Amit Panghal and Jasimine Lamboria earned a 2024 Paris Olympics quota place each on the final day of the 2nd Boxing World Olympic Qualifiers on Sunday. This takes India’s total boxing quota to six for the quadrennial event, which will be held later this year.
Panghal overcame a slow start to beat China’s Liu Chuang in the men’s 51kg quarterfinals to become the second Indian man to earn an Olympic quota for Paris.
Nishant Dev became the first Indian male boxer to secure a Paris berth earlier this week when he defeated Moldova’s Vasile Cebotari in the 71kg quarterfinals.
India had earned three quotas at the 2022 Asian Games through Nikhat Zareen (women’s 50kg), Preeti (54kg) and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) by virtue of all of them finishing on the podium in Hangzhou, China.
Panghal added to that list on Saturday with a fine display of tenacity and aggression against Chuang, who had drawn first blood by claiming Round 1 with some fine punches.
But the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist came out all guns blazing in Round 2 and attacked relentlessly to grab the advantage, impressing all the five judges. The deciding round was a frantic display of boxing by both pugilists as they attempted to outpunch each other.
Panghal ultimately came out on top as he smartly manoeuvred his Chinese opponent and landed his combination on his face and body to clinch the bout with a unanimous verdict.
Later in the day, Lamboria prevailed 5-0 by an unanimous decision over Marine Camara of Mali to regain India’s quota place in the women’s 57kg.
Parveen Hooda had earlier won a quota place in women’s 57kg during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou last year. But India had to concede it back after she was banned for doping whereabouts failure.
Lamboria, who usually competes in the women’s 60kg, had to drop her weight to 57kg to compete at the 2nd World Olympic Qualifiers.
She dominated the proceedings right from the start in the quarter-finals against Camara to win India’s sixth quota.
Meanwhile, Sachin Siwach lost out Kyrzkstan's Munarbek Seitbek by an unanimous decision in men’s 57kg to finish just short of the quota place.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!