24 November,2018 11:23 AM IST | New Delhi | PTI
India's Sonia Chahal (right) punches North Korea's Jo Son Hwa in the 57kg semi-final yesterday. Pic/PTI
Unheralded Sonia Chahal stormed into the finals of Women's World Boxing Championships by outclassing her North Korean opponent Jo Son Hwa, but Simranjit Kaur had to settle for a bronze after losing the semi-final bout here yesterday.
Sonia, 21, who began competing at the senior level only since 2016, registered a unanimous 5-0 win over her more fancied North Korean opponent, a silver medallist in the Jakrata Asian Games, in the 57kg semi-finals to reach the final in her debut World Championships. The rookie boxer joins Mary Kom (48kg) in today's finals. Simranjit, 23, lost to Chinese Dan Dou, a silver medallist in the Asian Championships last year, on a split 4-1 decision in the 64kg semis.
Simranjit Kaur
Mary Kom eyes history
Sonia now faces Wahner Ornella Gabriele of Germany in the final. The Haryana boxer can fancy her chances as Gabriele does not have a big reputation. Seeking a historic sixth gold, Mary Mom will take on Ukrain's Hanna Okhota in the 48kg summit bout today.
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"I have never imagined that I will reach the final. But it is happening and I am in the World Championships final at such a young age. I am doing this in front of my home crowd. I am very happy," Sonia said later.
"My coaches said my opponent won the first round and it was an even affair in the second round and so I have to be aggressive in the third if I have to win the bout. So I changed my game and played aggressive in the third round with 1-2." Asked about her opponent in the final, she said, "My opponent is a hard-hitting boxer and I have to plan accordingly. I want to win the gold in front of my home crowd."
For Simranjit, it was a tough job from the beginning as she was trailing in the first two rounds. She had to go all out in the final round which she won, but that was not enough to win the bout.
"It was a tough fight. Chinese boxers are quick and I was having problems in catching her," she said. "The first round was not mine and the second round was also tough. So, the coaches told me to go all out in the third round. I did that but it was not enough."
Simranjit satisfied
Asked if she was satisfied with the result, Simranjit said, "Yes, it is all right. The result could have gone either way. I have no issues. This is my first World Championships and I won a bronze. I have to be satisfied with this."
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