Guwahati, May 22:
It was a spectacular homecoming for World championship bronze medallist Shiva Thapa, while Asian Games gold medallist Amit Panghal also lived upto his billing reaching the semifinals in 52kg category at the second India Open boxing tournament here today.
Five other Indians also progressed to the semifinals at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium.
Three years after he was crowned national champion at the same venue, a matured Thapa returned stronger as he clinically executed his plans to outwork his taller Mauritius opponent Hellene Damien 5-0 and set up a semifinal clash against D Krystian Sczepanski of Poland in the 60kg category.
“I was facing a taller opponent like him for the first time in my category,” said Thapa, who will switch to 63kg after the tournament keeping in mind of the approved weight categories for Olympic qualification.
“He had a better reach so my strategy was to hit him from the close range and then quickly go out of his reach. It worked out perfectly.”
All the buzz of the day was about the 13th bout of the day as hordes of school children, Shiva’s family members including his father Padam Thapa waited anxiously for the local favourite to come inside the ring. (PTI)
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