Mixed Fortunes for Nagpur Boxers in Maharashtra State Championship
On the penultimate day of the Maharashtra State Sub-Junior and Junior Selection Boxing Championship held at Subhedar Hall, Nagpur boxers displayed mixed fortunes. Out of the 11 Nagpur pugilists who secured their spots in the semifinals, four talented boxers managed to advance to the finals in different weight categories on Tuesday. These young athletes assured themselves of at least a bronze medal by reaching the semifinals.
In the 19th edition of the junior girls' state championship, Khushi Sheikh from Nagpur district stood out as the sole boxer to qualify for the finals in the U-17 group. She demonstrated her prowess in the 54-57 kg weight event and emerged victorious against Dhanashree Bandgar from Pimpri Chinchwad. On the other hand, Shraddha Khobragade faced a tough challenge in the 46-48 kg weight category, where she lost to Palak Zambare of Kridapeeth when the referee stopped the contest in the second round.
The 11th edition of the sub-junior girl's section witnessed remarkable performances from Nagpur's Sawli Barbunje and Navyanaveli Swamiyar. Sawli dominated her opponent, Namaswi Ambhore from Aurangabad, with a convincing 5-0 victory in the 46-49 kg weight category. Similarly, Navyanaveli Swamiyar showcased exceptional skills and defeated Akola's Anushka Gupta with a resounding 5-0 scoreline in the 52-55 weight event. With these impressive wins, both Sawli and Navyanaveli have now earned the opportunity to compete for a place in the Maharashtra squad.
In the U-15 girls section, other Nagpur boxers faced tough challenges and were unable to advance to the next stage. Pooja Channe had a challenging bout against Pune's Shrushti Dhodmise in the 49-52 kg weight category, resulting in a 5-0 loss. In the 55-58 event, Samiksha Singh showed determination but fell short, losing to Jalgaon's Aayushi Bhosale in a close match with a score of 2-3. Zubiya Khan and Shraddha Nandawar also faced early exits, losing their respective bouts in the first round.
On a positive note, in the 9th sub-junior boys section, Nagpur's hopes remained alive with Malhar Sable's impressive performance. Dhairya Kothi, unfortunately, lost his semifinal bout in the 35-37 kg weight event against Harshdip Jadhav from Kridapeeth by unanimous decision. However, Malhar Sable demonstrated grit and determination, defeating Pune's Yazdabi Shaikh 3-2 in a hard-fought contest. He now sets his sights on the summit clash against Ishant Karne from Ahmednagar in the 46-49 kg weight category, carrying the hopes of Nagpur on his shoulders.
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