• Five top seeds are among the semi-final line-up at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi
• Nineteen countries are guaranteed medals, with China and Kazakhstan topping the list with seven and six athletes respectively, followed by India and Colombia with four each
• The semi-finals will take place at 18:00 IST today at the 6,000-capacity D. Jadhav Indoor Hall

Five top seeds are among the guaranteed medal-winners at the International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s World Boxing Championships after a thrilling day of quarter-final action in New Delhi.

Boxers from a total of 19 countries have secured places in today’s semi-finals, ensuring a cosmopolitan line-up on the podium across the 12 weight categories.

Among the top seeds to have sealed a spot in the last-four stage are Italian featherweight Irma Testa, who will face France’s Amina Zidani, Brazilian lightweight Beatriz Ferreira, who will clash with South Korea’s Oh Yeon-ji, and Moroccan heavyweight Khadija Mardi, who will take on Russia’s Diana Pyatak.

Indian duo Nitu and Saweety will face two other top seeds – Kazakh minimumweight Alua Balkibekova and light heavyweight Emma-Sue Greentree – who is one of three Australians to reach the semi-finals, along with middleweight Caitlin Parker and light middleweight Kaye Scott.

Two other Indian boxers will compete in the semi-finals – light flyweight Nikhat Zareen, who will face Colombia’s Ingrit Valencia, and Lovlina Borgohain, who will take on Li Qian, one of seven Chinese athletes to have reached the last-four stage.

China has more athletes in the semi-finals than any other country at this year’s Championships, followed by Kazakhstan with six boxers, and India and Colombia with four each.

The Finals of the IBA Women’s World Championships will be staged over the weekend of 25-26 March after the inaugural IBA Women in Sport Conference takes place on the sidelines of the event tomorrow, Friday 24 March.

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