The 10 female finals of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships were in the official schedule on the ninth day of the competition in Kielce, Poland. The Indian girls exceeded all of the previous expectations in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and their team achieved seven gold medals. Uzbekistan, Russia, and Turkey won the remaining gold medals in the Women’s Final Event.

Women’s 48kg – India’s Gitika is the first AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion in Kielce

India’s Gitika eliminated the top dog’s in the smallest weight category such as Russia’s EUBC European Women’s Champion Diana Ermakova and Italy’s Erika Prisciandaro who previously won two European titles during her career. The Indian had to encounter with Poland’s new sensation Natalia Kuczewska in the final of the light flyweight (48kg) as the opening of the title match of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. Both of them began the match  with an amazing rhythm and the defence was not their stronger points. The Indian was better in that fighting match and she led by 10:9 in each scorecard after three minutes. The 17-year-old Gitika landed punches from all angles and her rhythm was too much for the Polish talent in, Kielce.

“I followed my coaches’ tactic in the final and I tried to do my job with the same rhythm as in the previous rounds. I am so proud of that I made India happy today,” commented India’s Gitika on her gold medal after the final decision.

Women’s 51kg – Naorem Babyrojisana Chanu accomplished her target as the favourite of the category

India’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Naorem Babyrojisana Chanu and Russia’s EUBC European Junior Champion Valeria Linkova met in the next final at the flyweight (51kg) today. Their final was more tactical than the first contest and Linkova tried to keep her distance from the Indian boxer. She was successful in the first minute but after that, Chanu caught her with aggressive attacks in the second part of the opening round. Chanu increased her tempo in the second round and pressurized the Russian opponent who looked more static than in the opening minutes. Chanu’s excellent left-handed hook was one of the highlights of the second round and she was able to share her power well to win the next gold medal for India.

Women’s 54kg – Nigina Uktamova writes history for Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Nigina Uktamova eliminated Russia’s European Junior Champion Anastasia Kirienko in the semi-finals of the category and she used the same attacking style against Ukraine’s Khrystyna Lakiichuk in the final. The younger Uktamova ruled the middle of the ring in the first round while Lakiichuk tried to keep the Uzbek at a long, safe distance from her. The Ukrainian had effective hooks in the first round and surprisingly she took the lead on the scorecards. Uktamova had difficulties during the first round in some of the previous contests as well but from the second round she was more energetic in the final. Lakiichuk was exhausted for the final round therefore Uktamova’s pressurizing strategy delivered Uzbekistan’s first ever gold medal in the history of the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships.

“I am absolutely happy that I could realize what we were working for in the recent years. I am so grateful for the Uzbekistan Boxing Federation and my coaches who supported me all the time to achieve this gold medal. It is an outstanding feeling that I am the first Uzbek Women’s World Champion,” said Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamova after the final contest.

Women’s 57kg – India’s No.1 Poonam remained undefeated after the final

India’s best youth boxer, the defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion Poonam won all of her contests in Kielce by large margin of differences. The unbeaten Indian star met with France’s experienced Sthelyne Grosy who began boxing at the age of 8 and the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships is her highlight. The French boxer’s counter-attacks worked well in the end of the second round and her strategy was the best possible one against Poonam but the Indian caught her with multiple combination in the end of the opening period. The Czech referee counted the French boxer who tried to follow the same tactic in the second round in spite of Poonam’s strength. The Indian was more confident after the standing count and she remained undefeated in the international stage.

“This is why I am here, for the gold medal and now I got it. This is the same feeling as I felt last time in the big event in Ulaanbaatar. I scored against the French in time and then moved back, kept the distance and I believe that tactic was the difference between us today,” declared India’s No.1 Poonam, was the reason for her success.

Women’s 60kg – Vinka earned India’s fourth gold medal

India’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Vinka moved down to the lightweight (60kg) in the previous months but she is still relatively small in the category. The Indian eliminated Russian Daria Panteleeva, Bosnian & Herzegovian, Colombian Camila Camilo and Czech opponents during her road to the final in Kielce.  . For the gold medal she met with Kazakhstan’s Zhuldyz Shayakhmetova who tried to do the same strategy as France’s Sthelyne Grosy in the final of the featherweight (57kg). The younger Kazakh was successful only in the first minute, then Vinka’s attacking tactic worked better in the match. The referee counted Shayakhmetova three-times and after that confirmed Vinka’s gold medal.

“This is one of the happiest moments in my life. I tried to make a clear difference in this final match. The Kazakh boxer was stronger in the first round but after that I  did my very best in this final round,” said India’s fourth champion in Kielce, Vinka who arrived to Poland as the main favorite contender of the lightweight (60kg).

Women’s 64kg – Russia’s Azalia Amineva was confident in the sixth final

Russia’s EUBC European Youth Champion Azalia Amineva was with all odds on her favor to obtain the gold medal in the category, before the start of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. Her final opponent was an experienced boxer, Uzbekistan’s Elite National Champion Mokhinabonu Abdullaeva. The taller Russian trusted on her footwork and kept the distance in the first exchanges, while Abdullaeva could not maintain the range. Amineva took advantage of Abdullaeva’s faults and she led in each scorecard after three minutes of the first round. The Uzbek talent received theproper instructions in the first break and she was more patient in the second round, and waited for the best moments to land punches. Amineva’s strategy worked better and she enjoyed the final round well when she felt that she would be Russia’s first gold medallist in Kielce.

Women’s 69kg – Choudhary took India’s fifth good medal in Kielce

India’s Arundhati Choudhary was the Best Asian Women’s Junior Boxer in the Year of 2018 and after three years of the award, she advanced to the final of the women’s welterweight (69kg) in Kielce. Her final opponent, Poland’s Barbara Marcinkowska defeated Russia’s 2020 EUBC European Youth Champion Anastasia Kholueva and she was the nation’s last hope for the gold medal in the Women’s Finals. Both boxers had the same physical condition and strategy therefore the first round was a spectacular battle between them. Choudhary landed more punches in the opening round but in the second round, the Polish girl also found angles to catch the Indian. Choudhary changed her rhythm and in the second half, she was too strong for Marcinkowska.

“When I started boxing in 2016, my target was very clear, I am doing everything to be at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Kielce is one of my obstacle to that road and I am so excited that I was able win the gold medal in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships,” commented Arundhati Choudhary from India her gold medal.

Women’s 75kg – India’s Sanamacha Thokchom Chanu is still undefeated in the international events

India’s defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion Sanamacha Thokchom Chanu and Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Dana Diday advanced to the final of the women’s middleweight (75kg). The first round delivered tiny differences between the two boxers and that equal level continued in the second. Chanu tried to use her distance better in the second round but Diday also replied with jabs to that tactical change. The third round was the decision maker between the two Asian boxers in Kielce where the judges picked Chanu as the winner of the hectic final contest.

Women’s 81kg – Turkey’s Busra Isildar dominated the ninth final in Kielce

Turkey’s three-time European Champion Busra Isildar, won all of the international contests during her career and she eliminated her tough Indian rival in the quarter-finals of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. The Turkish boxer celebrated her 19^th birthday during the event and she planned to celebrate it with a gold medal in Kielce. Her final opponent was Russia’s EUBC European Youth Champion Ksenia Olifirenko, and the Turkish with high hopes quickly caught her with strong jabs. Isildar, who moved down to the light heavyweight (81kg), used better footwork and her defensive skills were the difference between them in the first round. Isildar turned up a notch in the second round and she launched at least three-times more punches than in the opening period. Isildar clearly won the final contest and became the first Turkish AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion since Busenaz Surmeneli’s gold in 2015.

“I had a clear target and I was able to do that in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. I am looking forward to my medal ceremony,” commented Turkey’s only gold medallist Busra Isildar in Kielce.

Women’s +81kg – India’s impressive seventh gold medal was obtained by Pathan

India’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Alfiya Tarannum Akram Khan Pathan is the first girl in her family who could practice these kinds of sports and after her intensive preparations, she is now AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion. The younger Indian met with Moldova’s EUBC European Youth Champion Daria Kozorez in the last final of the round and she looked quicker in the first minute than her European opponent. The speed of the punches was the difference between them today and despite of Kozorez’s efforts in the final round, the 17-year-old Indian won the final by an unanimous decision.

“To be honest I was expecting five gold medals from my team but we only obtained two extra titles in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. All of these girls worked seriously hard for this success, they were in full focus in the recent eight months to achieve these results,” added the head coach of the Indian women’s youth national team, Mr. Bhaskar Bhatt after the finals.

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