The afternoon session of the eighth competition day with 20 semi-final women’s contests was held at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Kielce, Poland. India amazed with all of their seven women boxers advanced to the finals. Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Poland, France, Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey also remained their chance open to win at least one weight class.

India’s stars as Chanu, Poonam and Thokchom are closer to gold 

India’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Naorem Babyrojisana Chanu eliminated Poland’s European Youth Champion Alexas Kubicka in the quarter-finals of the flyweight (51kg). She felt the tempo well against Italy’s Lucia Elen Ayari in the semi-finals. The Indian boxer was still fresh enough to land at least a double number of punches as her European opponent.

Chanu was quicker in the exchanges and reached the Italian from all angles, therefore, she had a huge advantage before the start of the last round. The referee counted the Italian in the third round when Chanu performed her best and dominated that part. The Indian No.1 will meet for the gold medal with Russia’s Valeria Linkova who used her distance well against Mongolia’s lone women medallist, Altanbyek Khulan.

Chanu’s teammate, another ASBC Asian Youth Champion, Poonam had her toughest contest in Kielce but she managed to win that against Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova at the featherweight (57kg). India’s third sensation at the international events, Sanamacha Thokchom Chanu landed a high number of clean punches against Poland’s Daria Parada and advanced to the middleweight (75kg) final.

Uzbekistan’s Uktamova and Abdullaeva are their first-ever female finalists

Uzbekistan never claimed any medals in the history of the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships yet but following their development programs in the women boxing, the Central Asian country have six women’s semi-finalists in Kielce. Six out of their eight-strong women’s team advanced to the last four excluding two favorites, Farzona Fozilova and Feruza Kazakova.

ASBC Asian Junior Champion Nigina Uktamova had some difficulties against Russia’s EUBC European Junior Champion Anastasia Kirienko in the first round but she turned up the heat in the second. The Uzbek bantamweight (54kg) boxer had an energetic performance in the second round and her pressurizing tactic destroyed the Russian defense. Kirienko received a warning in the third and her physical condition were not the same as Uktamova’s stamina. Therefore, the Uzbek advanced to the final. Uktamova is the first-ever female boxer from Uzbekistan who can compete in a final at any of AIBA Boxing Championships. Her teammate, Elite National Champion Mokhinabonu Abdullaeva also advanced to the final after beating Latvia’s Beatrise Rozentale in the semi-finals of the light welterweight (64kg).

Poland’s Kuczewska and Marcinkowska are finalists in Kielce

Poland had seven female semi-finalists at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships which broke all of the previous records in the history of the competition since 2011. Their team had three finalists in the Albena 2013 edition which the Poles tried to repeat at least in Kielce. Finally, two of their boxers succeeded in the semi-finals but their team has done a great impression and fighting spirit.

Their first hope, Natalia Kuczewska is a real fighter what she demonstrated in the semi-finals of the light flyweight (48kg). Her Thai opponent, Thipsatcha Yodwaree was better in speed and technique but Kuczewska pressurized her Southeast Asian rival from the first seconds. Kuczewska never stopped attacking and her rhythm delivered for her a place in the finals. Poland’s second finalists is Barbara Marcinkowska who eliminated Kazakhstan’s Zhasmin Kizatova in the welterweight (69kg).

Turkey’s Busra Isildar advanced to her fourth big final

Turkey’s Busra Isildar won three European Championships as junior and youth in the heaviest weight class but following her active training, she went down to the light heavyweight (81kg) in the recent months. The 18-year-old Turkish girl was quicker and felt the rhythm well against Poland’s Martyna Jancelewicz in the semi-final. Isildar’s footwork was unpredictable for Jancelewicz and the Turkish boxer can prepare for her next and final bout.

‘This is my first big event in my new category, the light heavyweight (81kg) but I feel great in Kielce. The semi-final was one step for me in the road to the gold medal and after this contest, I am fully focused on the title bout,’ commented her success Isildar.

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