2018 Commonwealth Games: Boxers set for record medal haul, Glasgow gold tally bettered

India are in for a big medal haul on Saturday with six boxers in fray in the final, an unprecedented success for the pugilists in any international competition and an indication of their growing stature. (CWG 2018 FULL COVERAGE)

While MC Mary Kom is the only woman boxer to make it to the final, five male pugilists stormed into the finals.

On Friday, the 22-year-old Amit started the gold hunt when he reached the final of the men’s 46-49 kg class, defeating Uganda’s Jumo Miiro 5-0 on points. Gaurav Solanki was the next to reach the 52kg final when he defeated Sri Lanka’s MVI Bandara, followed by Manish Kaushik in 60kg class and seasoned Vikas Krishan in men’s 75kg and Satish Kumar in men’s +91kg class, all of them winning their bouts easily.

On Saturday, Mary Kom will lead India’s charge.

All eight male boxers had made it to the semifinals but three of them – Naman Tanwar, Mohammed Hussamuddin and Manoj Kumar lost their bouts on Friday, thus settling for bronze medals.

Glasgow bettered

There was more promise of gold medals as shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal entered the semi-finals of individual badminton competitions.

In table tennis, the men’s doubles pair of Achanta Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan reached the final. On Friday, Mouma das and Manika Batra won India maiden women’s doubles TT silver.

On a day of shame when two athletes, KT Irfan and Rakesh Babau, were expelled from the Commonwealth Games for breaching Commonwealth Games Federation’s no-needle policy, India bagged three gold medals. Shooters Anish Bhanwala, Tejaswini Sawant and wrestler Bajrang Punia helped take the gold medal tally to 17, surpassing the 15 bagged in Glasgow four years ago.

With a tally of 17 gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze, India’s total tally of 42 medals is still way off the total of 64 won in 2014, but Indians are in fray for a rich haul on the last two days of competition. It is likely that the Glasgow tally would be surpassed.

Tejaswini, Anjum’s 1-2

Friday’s gold rush was started by Tejaswini, who won gold in women’s 50m rifle three position. Bhanwala picked second gold of the day with a dominating performance in men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, while Bajrang Punia ended it with a bang by claiming gold in men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling.

The silver medals were claimed by Anjum Moudgil in women’s 50m rifle three position, wrestler Pooja Dhanda in women’s freestyle 68kg, Mausam Khatri in men’s freestyle 97kg.

India will also be playing in bronze medal matches in both men’s and women’s hockey – both matches against England on Saturday.

In squash, Indians are in the hunt for two gold medal with Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Saurav Ghosal taking on the Australian pair of Donna Urquhart and Cameron Pilley in mixed doubles final. Both Dipika and Saurav have looked in good touch and reached the final by defeating local pair of Joelle King and Paul Coll 9-11, 11-8, 11-10 on Friday.

Joshna Chinappa and Dipika will be hoping to defend their women’s doubles title after they set up a semifinal clash with England’s Laura Massaro and Sarah Jane Perry.