Istanbul, May 16 (Agency) Indian boxers Nikhat Zareen and Manisha continued their brilliant forms to secure medals at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships after registering contrasting wins in their respective quarterfinals here on Monday. Confirming their first World Championships medals with a place in the semifinals, Nikhat clinched a dominating 5-0 win against England’s Charley-Sian Taylor Davison while Manisha got the better of Mongolia’s Namuun Monkhor in the hard-fought 57kg bout by a 4-1 margin. The 25-year-old boxer from Telangana once again showed her technical supremacy to hand the country its first medal at this year’s tournament with an impressive victory in the 52kg quarterfinal. Nikhat’s aggressive intent and clean attack left no chance for Davison as the Indian looked in complete control throughout the bout. Nikhat will now take on Caroline De Almeida of Brazil in the semifinals.
De Almeida thrashed the 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist Ireland’s Carly McNaul of Ireland by unanimous decision. While Manisha will take on Italy’s Irma Testa, who defeated Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova 4-1 in another quarterfinal. On the other hand, another Indian pugilist Nitu fell just short of securing a medal in her debut appearance at the World Championships as she tried her all against the reigning Asian Champion Alua Balkibekova of Kazakhstan but went down fighting in a closely fought 48kg quarterfinal. Semifinal matches will take place on Wednesday while the finals will be played on Thursday and Friday. In the last edition of the tournament, held in Russia in 2019, Indian boxers had clinched one silver and three bronze medals. India have won 36 medals, including nine gold, eight silver and 19 bronze, in the 11 editions of the tournament so far — the third highest after Russia (60) and China (50).