London Olympics bronze-medallist MC Mary Kom led the charge as six Indian boxers stormed into the final with comprehensive wins to remain in hunt for all the 10 medals on offer at the 12th South Asian Games, in Shillong, on Sunday.
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On a comeback trail after recovering from an injury, the five-time world champion Mary Kom's 51kg category bout lasted less than 40 seconds as she was adjudged winner via Technical Knockout.
After Mary landed some powerful blows her Bangladeshi opponent Shamina Akter rarely stepped forward and had a full crouch stance all the while trying to cover-up at the SAI campus in North Eastern Hill University on the outskirts of the city.
Sri Lanka's first woman boxer to win a gold in Asian Championship, Anusha Kodituwakku Dilrukshi, will stand in the way of the celebrated Indian boxer for the gold medal women's final on Tuesday.
Anusha had little trouble getting past her Nepalese opponent Gurung Minu as she was adjudged 3-0 winner by the three judges.
If Mary stole the show in the afternoon session, Sarita Devi was the cynosure of the boisterous crowd in the evening and the Manipuri did not disappoint with an easy 3-0 unanimous win over Rana Saraswati of Nepal in 60kg.
Glasgow Commonwealth silver-medallist L Devendro Singh started the proceedings for India when he did well to dodge Thiwana Ranasinghe's open hooks to win a tight first round 29-28.
Devendro did well to win the next two rounds with ease to be adjudged 3-0 winner in the 49kg.
World championship bronze-medallist Shiva Thapa had the height disadvantage against Mohammad Ohiduzzaman of Bangladesh but the Assamese boxer did well to defend himself before landing some powerful jabs with a tactical gameplan.
"I ensure that he did not take advantage of his height and the gameplan worked well for me," he said after his 3-0 win.
He will take on W Ruwan Thilina of Sri Lanka in the gold medal fight on Monday.
Vikas Krishan outclassed his Afghanistan opponent Folad S Wali Shah 3-0 win in 75kg.
2010 Commonwealth Games gold-medallist and 2012 London Olympics quarterfinalist Manoj Kumar (64kg) prevailed over Tshering Wangchuk of Bhutan with an identical scoreline to make the final.
India in men's and women's kabaddi finals
Indian men's and women's teams entered the finals of the kabaddi with easy victories over their respective opponents in Guwahati.
The men's team, defending its title, outplayed Bangladesh 29-9 in the semi-finals to make it to the final of the event at the R G Baruah Sports Complex.
The Bangladeshis could not match the technical superiority of the Indians who led 15-3 at the half time.
The Indians effected two 'lonas' (two bonus points when entire opposition is out) to completely dominate the match against the hapless Bangladeshis.
The Bangladeshis did a bit better in the second half as they got six points as against three in the first 20 minutes. But the Indians maintained the momentum to walk away with the match 29-9.
India got 20 outs, five bonus points and four lona points in the match.
In the women's section also, defending champions India thrashed Nepal 45-15 in the semi-finals to set up a summit clash against Bangladesh on Monday.
Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka 18-16 in a closely fought semi-finals match.
Hosts win one gold in taekwondo
India managed just one gold, two silver and a bronze in taekwondo.
Purva Dixit beat Nepal's Y K Chaulagain in the women's 49kg category to win the solitary yellow metal in taekwondo, where Afghanistan led the medals tally.
Gajendra Parihar went down to Afghanistan's Mahmood Haidari in the men's 58kg final to settle for the silver at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences on the outskirts of the city.
India's bagged the second silver of the day in men's 74kg as Manu George lost to another Afghan M Sharif Muradi in the final.
In women's 57kg, India claimed a bronze with S Ramchiary sharing the podium with G Sandamali of Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, India returned empty handed in men's over 87kg.
So far, India have two gold, three silver and two bronze medals in taekwondo, which will conclude on Monday with four more disciplines.
