(AUGUST 11) A busy time for
women's boxing as no sooner had the PanAmerican event finished
in Toronto than all eyes were focused on Wulanchabu,China where
the ASBC Asian Confederation championships have now reached the
semi-final stages.
Seventeen nations are taking part
in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Continental
Championships, with nearly 100 boxers registered.
China, India, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have all sent the
maximum number of ten boxers to Wulanchabu, while Afghanistan,
DPR Korea, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Philippines, Tajikistan,
Thailand and Vietnam also compete with strong delegations.
Those semi-finals take place on Wednesday so let us take a look
at who will be competing at that stage and which countries do
they represent. This update from the ASBC's team in China:
"The host nation has got eight semi-finalists; India has got six
boxers remaining ,while DPR Korea has got five guaranteed
medallists. Kazakhstan and rising power Uzbekistan both have
secured four podium places in Wulanchabu.
Bantamweight class (54 kg):
Kazakhstan’s Rano Parkhatova replaced AIBA Women’s World Boxing
Championships quarter-finalist Dina Zholaman in the national
team and opened with a great success in the first preliminary
round. The 23-year-old Kazakh boxer had to meet with Thailand’s
former Asian Indoor Games winner Peamwilai Laopeam who is one of
the veterans of the competition in Wulanchabu. The Kazakh boxer
began the bout better but Laopeam had enough routine to solve
that tactical issue and won their narrow bout.
Mongolia’s Myagmar Gundegmaa developed well enough in the past
two years in all tactical and physical elements and arrived to
Wulanchabu as favourite. The Mongolian boxer had to face
Tajikistan’s Rukhshona Rakhmonzoda who won their National
Championships and also the Dushanbe City Cup. The 25-year-old
Mongolian knocked down her Central Asian opponent and following
that the Filipino referee stopped their contest in the second
round.
Philippines’ AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver
medallist Nesthy Petecio was their last remained boxer in
Wulanchabu. She suffered a surprise loss in the Southeast Asian
Games in June but she arrived to the venue with strong mind and
body. The 23-year-old Filipino boxer, who is member of the
national team since 2009, opened her competition against Japan’s
young boxer Sana Kawano. Petecio dominated her bout and secured
a guaranteed medal for the Philippines.
China’s Liu Piaopiao took part in several international
competitions in 2015 and attended in the international training
camps but she was in good shape against India’s AIBA Women’s
World Boxing Championships competitor Maisnam Meena Kumari Devi.
The Chinese boxer was could not realize her tactic and
surprisingly she lost the contest on home soil.
Featherweight class (57 kg):
China's Youth National Champion 19-year-old Gao Meiling
eliminated Philippines' Riza Pasuit in a close bout and she had
to meet with Uzbekistan's Ismoil Hamzaaliyev Memorial Tournament
silver medallist Yodgor Mirzoyeva who is a promising athlete in
women's boxing. The two teenagers had a spectacular bout in
Wulanchabu where a second Chinese boxer was eliminated. The
final verdict was unanimous decision to Mirzoyeva.
DPR Korea's Ri Kwang Suk is member of their national squad since
2005 therefore her experiences were in totally different level
than Afghanistan’s Farzona Unabi who trains in Kabul and
competed in her first international event. The North Korean
veteran dominated the bout from the first seconds and due the
big difference the Japanese referee stopped their unequal
contest.
Kazakhstan's Zhanna Baskayeva won her first national title this
year and received the right to show her skills in a big
tournament. Her quarter-final opponent was India’s President’s
Cup bronze medallist Pwilao Basumatary who had a wonderful youth
career. The Indian boxer’s tactic was based on her footwork and
after the equal round she found the best fighting distance in
their bout which resulted a narrow triumph for Basumatary.
Thailand's AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships bronze
medallist Tassamalee Thongjan defeated Vietnam's AIBA Women's
Junior World Champion 19-year-old Vuong Thi Vy in the
preliminaries and fought for the guaranteed medal with
Mongolia’s Nergui Oyun-Erdene. Thongjan was the experienced
boxer while the 21-year-old Mongolian tried to move more in
their bout but her efforts were not enough to beat the Thai
veteran.
Lightweight class (60 kg):
Korea's National Sports Festival winner Oh Yeon Ji eliminated
India's Priyanka Chaudhary in the opening preliminary round and
met with Mongolia’s Oyungurel Suvderdene for the guaranteed
medal. Both boxers have had many international bouts and did a
spectacular bout on the fourth competition day. The Korean boxer
had more effective punches in the second part of their contest
and advanced to the semi-finals.
China’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games winner Yin Junhua began boxing
only in 2009 but she is a native talent in our sport. The host
nation’s pride had to meet with Chinese Taipei’s Chen Wen Ling
in the quarter-finals which was her first bout in Wulanchabu.
The 25-year-old boxer had different rhythm and great footwork
which meant Yin Junhua could do it better than her Chinese
teammates on Day 4.
Vietnam’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Luu Thi
Duyen is their spearhead in boxing who reached the level of the
top boxers in the recent two years. The 22-year-old Vietnamese
lady had to face with DPR Korea’s Ri Tong Sun who is also a
competitive boxer in the Olympic weight class. Luu tried to keep
the distance but the North Korean boxer was able to reduce their
range and eliminated Vietnam’s No.1.
Tajikistan's London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist and AIBA
Women's World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Mavzuna
Chorieva dominated her opening bout against Sri Lanka's Kasthuri
Arachchige Keshani Hansika and tried to repeat at least that
performance against Uzbekistan’s Makhfuzakhon Ergasheva.
Chorieva won all of the rounds against her younger rival and
secured Tajikistan’s second medal in Wulanchabu.
Middleweight class (75 kg):
China’s Li Qian lost to DPR Korea’s Jang Un Hui in the final of
the Incheon 2014 Asian Games which was a big surprise one year
ago. The Chinese boxer claimed another silver medal at the AIBA
Women’s World Boxing Championships in Jeju and planned to use
different tactic against Jang. Li Qian lives and trains in the
Inner Mongolian region of China which meant she could box in
absolutely home soil. The Chinese boxer found the best fighting
distance and her counter-attacks reached the target several
times. She was able to reverse her previous loss here in
Wulanchabu.
A real battle followed between Mongolia’s Erdenetuya Enkhbaatar
and Korea’s National Sports Festival winner Seong Su Yeon. The
final verdict of their bout was unanimous decision to Seong
which means she is also a medallist in the event. In the final
bout of the fourth competition day Kazakhstan’s former ASBC
Asian Women’s Continental Champion Dariga Shakimova worked more
than Uzbekistan’s Nafisakhon Askarova and secured her place in
the semi-finals.
In the preliminary round the 'big shock' was the defeat of
India's Pinki Jangra Rani (who is replacing the injured Mary Kom)
at the hands of Japan's Ayako Minowa in the up to 51kg Olympic
weight whilst 2012 world champion and 4-time SEA Games gold
medalist Josie Gabuco lost the decision against the host
nation's Naiyan exclaiming: "I thought I delivered the more
effective blows, the only time she hurt me was in the third
round when she caught me with a wayward hook. But otherwise, I
thought I had the edge. Obviously, the judges thought
differently".
Our thanks to ASBC and the AIBA - great to see the women's sport
thriving in Asia.
History of the Championships
The first edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s
Continental Championships was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2001
before the inaugural AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships.
DPR Korea won the team rankings in the historic first edition,
while since then India, China and Kazakhstan have achieved the
same milestone in recent editions of the world class
competition.
Titleholders from the last edition in 2012
48 kg: Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag, Mongolia
51 kg: Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte, India
54 kg: Liu Kejia, China
57 kg: Tassamalee Thongjan, Thailand
60 kg: Sarita Devi Laishram, India
64 kg: Erdenesoyol Uyanga, Mongolia
69 kg: Wang Dongmei, China
75 kg: Li Jinzi. China
81 kg: Yuan Meiqing, China
+81 kg: Li Yunfei, China
