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Express News Service
MUMBAI, Oct 16: It was a heady day for women boxers as they took the bow, for the first time in the city, at Janata High School, Worli today. Amidst cat-calls and whistles from the excited male audience, eight women took the ring, the largest ever participation in the country; three of them had participated in an informal bout last December at Sangli.
While footwork was at a premium, grit was writ large on the women's faces. Sonal Devalekar of Mumbai lasted just 15 seconds against the powerful left-right rhythm of Sandhya Panbude, easily the star attraction. Kolhapur's Roma Sawant accounted for compatriot Shilpa Chougule in the first round; but the fierce 15-year-old was unlucky to be stopped in the final against Hemalata Wade, after she took a blow on her face. This event, and the news that women boxers are active in Manipur, Assam and Punjab, should shore the foundation for women's boxing.
Later, in the boys finals of the Western India Juniors, Dahisar boy Balbahadur Thapa waged a brilliant recovery towin the fly weight title. He was later named best boxer of the tournament. Kanwarjit Kochar, son of five-time national champion Ajit Singh Kochar, won the feather weight title by knocking out Harish Pawar.
Results (all finals)
Boys: Lt Fly: Girish Pawar (Pun) bt Motiram Thapa (N Mumbai); Fly: Balbahadur Thapa (N Mumbai) bt Prakash Ingulkar (Mum); Bantam: Wasif Ansari (BMC) bt Vella Mudaliar (Pun); Feather: Kanwarjit Kochar (Khadki) bt Harish Pawar (Mum); Light: Haresh Yadav (Pim) bt Pradip Patil (Sangli); Light Welter: Pradip Gaikwad (Pune) bt Navnit Karkera (Mumbai); Welter: Sandip Khilare (Sangli) bt Kiran Waghmare (Ahmednagar); Light middle: Rajesh Shetty (Mumbai) bt Sandip Thete (Nagpur); Middle: Kirti Vegda (BMC) bt Deepak Shinde (Amravati); Best boxer: Balbahadur Thapa; Most promising boxer: Girish Pawar; Team c'ship winner: Ajinkya, Pune
Girls: 39-42: Hemalata Wade (Akola) bt Roma Sawant (Kolhapur); Manisha Khandejod (Akola) bt Siddhi Devalekar (Mumbai);
Women:Sandhya Panbude (Pune) bt Sonal Devalekar (Mumbai)
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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