Mary Kom steps into finals Strandja Memorial Tournament

Sofia, February 24: In Boxing, MC Mary Kom stormed into the Finals of the Strandja Memorial Tournament at Sofia in Bulgaria on Friday, while Vikas Krishan and two other male boxers entered the semifinals. In the Women's 48 kg category, five-time world champion and Olympic bronze medallist Mary Kom, targetting her third successive international gold medal, defeated China's Ye Jiali to make the summit clash. However, former world and Asian champion L Sarita Devi bowed out in the 60 kg section with a bronze medal. Meena Kumari Devi in 54 kg also settled for a Bronze.

In the Men's draw, former Asian Games gold-medallist Vikas Krishan in 75 kg, Asian Games bronze medallist Satish Kumar in +91 kg and Gaurav Solanki in 52 kg advanced to the semi-finals to assure themselves of medals. Earlier, Amit Panghal in 49 kgs had also made it to the last-4.

It was a significant victory for Vikas, who is returning to action after recovering from a hand injury, which forced him out of the national championships as well as the India Open last month.

India is now assured of 10 medals in the tournament, five of them courtesy women boxers -- Mary Kom, L Sarita Devi (60kg), Seema Punia (+81kg), Saweety Boora (75kg), Mena Kumari Devi (54kg) and Bhagyabati Kachari (81kg).