NEW DELHI: Unheralded Sonia Chahal stormed into the finals of Women’s World Boxing Championships by outclassing her North Korean opponent Jo Son Hwa but Simranjit Kaur had to settle for a bronze after losing the semifinal bout here Friday.
The 21-year-old Sonia, who began competing at the senior level only since 2016, registered a unanimous 5-0 win over her more fancied North Korean opponent, a silver medallist in the Jakrata Asian Games, in the 57kg semifinals to reach the final in her debut World Championships. The rookie boxer joins Mary Kom (48kg) in Saturday’s finals. Simranjit lost to fleet-footed Chinese Dan Dou, a silver medallist in the Asian Championships last year, on a split 4-1 decision in the 64kg semifinals.
The 23-year-old Simranjit was also participating in her first World Championships. Sonia now faces Wahner Ornella Gabriele of Germany in the final on Saturday. The Haryana boxer can fancy her chances as Gabriele does not have a big reputation. Seeking a historic sixth gold, Mary Mom will take on Ukrain’s Hanna Okhota in the 48kg summit bout on Saturday. Assam boxer Lovlina Borgohain had won a bronze in 69kg after losing her semifinal bout on Thursday. For Sonia, who hails from Bhiwani district in Haryana, it was a stupendous achievement to reach the World Championships final with little experience under her belt. She began her boxing career in 2011 and rose through the ranks by competing at the school and sub-junior levels.She first won a senior level medal in 2016.
Last year, she won a gold in Serbia Cup and bagged a bronze in the Ahmet Comert tournament in Turkey earlier this year. (PTI)
