Indian boxers Jamuna Boro and Ankushita Boro ensure medals in boxing in the 36th National Games

SPORTS REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Former world championship medalist Jamuna Boro and former World Youth champion Ankushita Boro cruised to the semifinals of their respective weight divisions at the 36th National Games at Gandhinagar today.

Up against Rajasthan's lesser-known Sapna Sharma in the opening bout of the day, Jamuna's technical superiority gave her a clear edge in all the three rounds in the 57kg feather weight category.

Battling high fever for the past three days, Jamuna, however, did not show any signs of fatigue in the ring and got her combination punches to great effect to register a clear 5-0 win.

Jamuna will next face Haryana's Poonam, who defeated Manipur's Samim Band Khulakpham by split decision 4-1 in another 57kg quarterfinal.

Ankushita Boro breathed fire against Gujarat's Paramjit Kaur, who was left searching for cover against the former World Youth champion from Assam. Up against a vociferous crowd cheering for the home girl, Ankushita rose to the occasion with an excellent array of shots to unsettle Kaur, who got as many as three standing counts before the referees decided to stop the contest in the second round in the 66kg category.

In the semifinal, Ankushita will take on Rajasthan's Lalita, against whom she enjoys a dominating 3-0 advantage in head-to-head count. "I recently defeated Lalita in the semifinal of the Asian Championship trials in September. I got the better of her on two more occasions, so I know her game pretty well. I am confident of giving my 200 percent," she said after the bout. With Jamuna and Ankushita, altogether five boxers from Assam now entered into the semi finals and ensured medals for the State.

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