2019 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships
2019 Women's Boxing Championships: History of India at the tournament
Since the start of the AIBA Women’s World Championship in 2001, India has won 32 medals, including 9 gold, 7 silver and 16 bronze.
A strong 10-member Indian boxing contingent will be gunning for a stellar show in the Women’s World Championship that commences in Russia from October 3. While veteran Sarita Devi will be aiming for her first title in over ten years in the 60kg-category, Mary Kom, who was picked without a trial on the basis of her showings in the last few months, will spearhead the side.
The Indian team also consists of five debutants - Manju Rani (48kg), Jamuna Boro (54kg), Neeraj (57kg), Manju Bomboriya (64kg) and Nandini in the 81 kg. They will have the tough task of living up to expectations and faring well in an event that India has traditionally excelled in.
India's history in the event
Pinweight category: Since the start of the AIBA Women’s World Championship in 2001, India has won 32 medals, including 9 gold, 7 silver and 16 bronze. Needless to say, most of them have been picked up by the legendary Mary Kom, who is the most successful boxer in the worlds, with six gold and a silver to her name. Her first win came way back in 2002 at Antalya, where she bagged top honours in the 45kg category. The boxer from Manipur went on to win three more golds in the pinweight category - in 2005, 2006 and 2008 - all while competing in the 46kg division.
Light flyweight: Three Indian women boxers have ended with medals at the tournament in the 48kg competition, with Meena Kumari bagging bronze in 2002, and Sarjubala Devi winning silver at Jeju City in 2014, two years after she was awarded the Best Youth Women Boxer in Turkey. Mary Kom won silver in this event in the very first year of the World Championships, in 2001. Her latest gold, last year, too came in the 48kg division. She also won gold in 2010
Flyweight category: The nation has managed to win three medals in the flyweight category in the AIBA Women’s World Championship, with Kalpana Chowdhury winning bronze in 2005 at Podolsk, Chhotu Loura winning bronze the next year in New Delhi. She bagged yet another bronze in 2008 in the event that was held at Ningbo City in China.
Light bantamweight: The 52kg category has featured in only three world championships (2005, 2006, 2008), with India’s Sarita Devi grabbing gold in 2006 and then a bronze two years later. It was also her last medal in the event, and she will be eager to return with yet another this time around.
Bantamweight: Prior to fighting in the light bantamweight category, Sarita Devi turned up in the bantamweight (54kg) category in 2005, where she won bronze at Podolsk.
Featherweight: Three Indians have ended with silver medals in the 57kg category - while Usha Nagishetty won twice in 2006 and then in 2008, Sonia Lather grabbed the silver in 2016. Sonia Chahal was the silver medalist in the event last year.
Light welterweight: The light welterweight category, which featured boxers in the 63kg division from 2005 to 2008, saw Jenny R.L win the gold for India in 2006 at Delhi. From 2010, the light welterweight changed its weight category to 64kg. Simranjit Kaur was a bronze medalist in the light welterweight last year.
Welterweight: In 2006, Aruna Mishra bagged bronze while competing in the 66kg division, while Lovlina Borgohain bagged another bronze last year, in the 69kg category.
Light middleweight: The light middleweight category was staged in the AIBA Women’s Boxing Championship from 2001 to 2008. India’s Chenthittail Aswathimol has a bronze in the 70kg category, which she won in 2005.
Middleweight: Two boxers have bagged medals for India in the 75kg category - Karamjit Kaur in Antalya in 2002 got bronze, while Lekha K.C got gold in 2006.
Light heavyweight: The light heavyweight category was held in the 80kg division in 2006, where India’s Renu Gora got bronze. It later shifted to 81kg from 2010, with Saweety Boora getting silver in the light heavyweight category in 2014.
Heavyweight: Two boxers have won four medals in the heavyweight category. Jyotsana Kumari won bronze for two straight tournaments - in 2002 and 2005, while Kavita Chahal won bronze in 2010 and 2012.
