Boxing: Mary Kom enters Rio Olympics Test event semis

Olympic bronze medallist MC Mary Kom assured herself and India of at least a bronze medal by advancing to the semifinals of the International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) Olympic Test event in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

Olympic bronze medallist MC Mary Kom assured herself and India of at least a bronze medal by advancing to the semifinals of the International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) Olympic Test event in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

A file photo of Mary Kom against Kazakhstan's Zhaina Shekerbekova (blue) in the women's fly (48-51kg) boxing match final at the Seonhak Gymnasium during the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. (Reuters)

Competing for the first time in over a year, the Indian boxer defeated Venezuela’s Karlha Magliocco 3-0 in the quarterfinal bout of the event, where boxers have been individually invited by the world body and the Rio Olympics organising committee.

Mary Kom, 33, will now face Virginia Fuchs in the semifinal bout on Sunday in her way to the championship title.

The five-time world champion had been laid low by a shoulder injury which forced her to skip last year’s World Championships.

Among the men, Rohit Tokas (60kg) bowed out of the competition after losing 0-3 to Venezuela’s Luis Cabrera in his opening bout.

The Indian team for the ongoing Test event also includes 2010 Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Manoj Kumar and World Championships quarterfinalist Satish Kumar among others.