The Indian boxing team earned a fantastic performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar and Asian champion Priya Ghanghas taking at least two medals for the country after winning their respective bouts in the final stage of the weight categories following their thrilling wins on Tuesday.
Preeti, who competed in the women's 54kg division, performed her best in a masterclass of speed and tactical skill to win a 5-0 unanimous decision over Northern Ireland’s Nicole Clyde and claim the first Commonwealth Games podium finish of her career. She had a noticeable height disadvantage, but she took over from the first bell. She moved fast and with precision and kept that guard sharp, repeatedly piercing it in the first round and still did it in the second round to take all five scorecards. In the final round, she held it together and was very calm, taking control with good punch and shot selection to win. She will now go on to meet Zambia's Catherine Mwape in the semifinal match.
The momentum was maintained later in the day when the women’s 60kg quarterfinal was a great example of strong grit and tactical agility of the Asian champion Priya Ghanghas. Having been given a first-round bye, the Indian star was up against the local favourite Niamh Mitchell of Scotland. Despite the slow start with Mitchell winning the first round by 4-1 on judges’ scorecards, Priya was able to pull out a brilliant comeback as she turned that disappointment into determination in the second round, demonstrating her stamina and composure to get back up with a stronger punch and a more clean and impactful punch to get the same 4-1 score in the final. And with that momentum carrying on to the final round, Priya produced sharper combinations and her powerful ringcraft and strategy to secure a 4-1 split-decision victory in a fiercely fought fight, with the final scorecards depicting the hard-fought battle.
These great performances not only demonstrate the depth and resilience of India’s boxing team on the international stage; they also significantly boost the country’s medal tally at the Glasgow Games. Both Preeti and Priya are now well into the semifinals, and the country is eagerly waiting for their games to convert their bronze medals to gold and silver and to see India succeed in more than one sport at the multi-sport extravaganza.
