Boxer Vikas Krishan, tennis mixed doubles pair of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna and athlete Lalita Babar’s performances provide some reason to rejoice in an overall dismal week for India at the Olympics in Brazil
Indiau00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s Vikas Krishan (left) punches Turkeyu00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s Onur Sipal during the 75kg middleweight bout on Friday
Rio de Janeiro: Vikas Krishan gave the sagging Indian hearts a huge fillip as he won an unanimous points decision against Turkish Onder Sipal and moved into the quarter-finals.
India’s Vikas Krishan (left) punches Turkey’s Onur Sipal during the 75kg middleweight bout on Friday. Pic/AFP
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He is just one bout away from becoming only the third Indian boxer — after Vijender Singh (in 2008) and MC Mary Kom (in 2012) to win an Olympic medal.
But standing between the 24-year-old Vikas and a medal is one of the most talked about youngsters in world boxing, Uzbek Bektemir Melikuziev, who at 20, is already a World Championship silver medallist last year in Doha.
A little after the Indian won his fight, Melikuziev also moved into quarters with a one-sided with over Daniel Lewis of Australia.
Vikas began the bout on an aggressive note and his clean punching against Sipal gave him the ideal start. Using his longer reach and fairly strong defence, he did take chances for the first two rounds. But as the fight neared the end, he showed enough acumen and footwork to avoid stray punches as well.
The first round was a 2:1 split but in the favour of the Indian. The second and third round were more dominated by Vikas and he was awarded the second round by unanimous decision. In the third, one of the judges awarded the round to Sipal but Vikas had done enough to get the decision in is favour. Apart from Vikas, Manoj Kumar is the other boxer still in the contest in the men’s 66kg.
Coach Gurbaksh Singh said, "Vikas had a clear edge and he fought smartly. It was a good win but the next fight could be tougher."
Lalita through to final
Rio de Janeiro: Lalita Babar on Saturday qualified for the women’s 3000m steeplechase final after finishing fourth in the qualifying heat 2 with a national record time while compatriot Sudha Singh was eliminated in the Olympic Games here.
India’s Lalita Babar (left) competes in the 3000m steeplechase heat on Saturday. Pic/AP,PTI
Lalita, who had won the bronze medal in the event in the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, two years ago, in fact finished with the seventh-best time in the heats in a new national record of nine minutes, 19.76 seconds.
Lalita clipped nearly seven seconds off the national mark standing in the name of Sudha Singh (9:26.55), clocked in Shanghai in May. The top three in the heats gain automatic qualification while Lalita made the grade as one of the six fastest from among the rest.
Sania-Rohan make merry on Friday
Rio de Janeiro: Just a single win away from ensuring an Olympic medal, the Indian mixed doubles combination of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna are determined to maintain their superb form and ensure a podium finish at the ongoing Rio Games here.
India’s Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna are ecstatic at Rio on Friday. Pic/PTI
The in-form fourth seeded duo entered the semi-finals by defeating Andy Murray and Heather Watson of Britain 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and seven minutes at Court 2 of the Olympic Tennis Centre here on Friday.
Sania and Bopanna are expected to face a tough challenge in their next match as they will take on the US team of Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram for a place in the final.
"We still think we can improve as every round becomes tougher from here on. We played two amazing champions today and we look forward to playing champions, whoever it is, tomorrow (Saturday)," Sania said after their match.
"Everyday is a new day. Yes we are confident after beating Andy but in the end we have to forget the emotion what happened and give our best again by staying fresh," she added.
Both Bopanna and Sania opined that their on court co-ordination was also a huge advantage.
"Communication is the key in mixed doubles and it was better for me to call early so that there is no miscommunication with the partner. And that’s the way we played," he said.
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