Date:22/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/22/stories/2006122206342000.htm

Sport

Haryana pips Kerala, retains title

Special Correspondent

BEST BOXER: N. Usha. — Photo: K.R. Deepak

VISAKHAPATNAM: Haryana retained the title in the seventh senior National women boxing championship at the Swarna Bharati Indoor Stadium here on Thursday evening, once again pipping Kerala by two points.

N. Usha was the lone gold medal winner for the host and she being declared Best Boxer was some consolation for the team. Andhra Pradesh, however, moved up from last year's fourth place to third place this time.

The best bout of the final day was the one between Kerala's Aswathy Prabha and Sunita of Haryana which saw both boxers scoring points alternately. The Kerala boxer's better defence and the ability to land straight punches earned her a close 20-19 win in the end.

Equally good was the 48kg final between holder Ch. Kanakadurga (AP) and Ch. Kalpana (Railway Sports Promotion Board).

The latter started with a lot of aggression and the five or six points gained then helped her ward off a tremendous fight back by the local girl.

The results:

46 kg: Swapna (Kerala) bt V. Mahalakshmi (AP) 24-13. 48 kg: Ch. Kalpana (Railways) bt Ch. Kanakadurga (AP) 20-18. 50 kg: Chhoto Loura (Railways) bt Meena Kumari (Haryana) 19-7. 52 kg: Sushma (Haryana) bt Jeuti Khakhlary (Assam) 11-4. 54 kg: Aswathy Prabha (Kerala) bt Sunita (Haryana) 20-19. 57 kg: N. Usha (AP) bt Preeti S. (Haryana) RSC II round, out-scored. 60 kg: S. Ibemcha (Manipur) bt Pranamika (Assam) RSC II, OS. 63 kg: Suman (Haryana) bt. Pinky (Delhi) RSC II, OS. 66 kg: Aruna Mishra (SPSB) bt Kavita (Haryana) 19-6. 70 kg: Aswathymol (Kerala) bt Pratibha Kachari (Assam) RSC II, OS. 75 kg: Renu (Haryana) bt Ancy K (Kerala) RSC I OC. 80 kg: K.C. Lekha (Kerala) bt Kavita (Haryana) RSC II, OS. 85 kg: Jyotsna (Railways) bt N. Swapna Priya (AP) conceded in II round.

Points position: 1. Haryana 43, 2. Kerala 41, 3. Andhra Pradesh 22.