E-Paper
Rani to spearhead Indian challenge in China Open boxing
National Games gold medallist Pooja Rani will spearhead Indian challenge in the China Open starting from Friday in Guiyang City.
National Games gold medallist Pooja Rani will spearhead Indian challenge in the China Open starting from Friday in Guiyang City.
Besides Rani in the middle-weight category, Sonia Lather (51kg) and Monica Suan (60kg) are the other two boxers who will be participating in the event.
The three boxers have been selected on the basis of their performance at the 34th National Games in Jharkhand in February.
Pooja, who missed the gold by a whisker at the Arafura Games in Australia this month, is keen to produce an impressive show in the coming event.
"My aim is to get qualified for the Olympics and good performance here will certainly help my cause. Last time I missed on the gold, but I will try my level best to get it this time," said the 20-year-old.
Lather and Suan performed well in the youth circuit before breaking onto the senior tour.
Recently, the Indian Boxing Federation sent teams to the Asian Cup women's boxing tournament in China and the Arafura Games, where the teams returned with favourable results.
While MC Mary Kom bagged top honours at the Asian Cup, Pinki Jangra opened her account on the senior tour with a gold medal at the Arafura meet and Rani brought home the silver.
These events are seen as build-up to the 2012 London Olympics, in which the women boxers would compete for the first time in the Game's 115-year-old history.
