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Journalism of Courage
Asian junior champion Vikas Krishan and silver medallist Devendro Singh Laishram showed some fine form as all three Indian boxers in action advanced to the second round of the AIBA Youth World Championships in Baku,Azerbaijan on Monday. Devendro ended the challenge of Dominican Republics Juan Gabriel Medina Herrad 17-8 in the light fly weight (48kg) opening bout while Vikas out-punched his Iranian rival Hamidreza
Roomiani in the light weight (60kg) first round bout. Vikas was in threatening form as the referee stopped the bout after the first bout itself. Sumit Sangwan,who won a silver medal at the Asian Championships last month,was equally dominant in his 14-1 triumph over David Bawa of Ghana in the first round of the light heavy weight (81kg).
Apart from Manjeet,three Indians will be in action at the event on Tuesday. Asian champion Naveen Kumar (75kg),J Bhaskar (51kg) and Shiva Thapa (54kg) will open their campaigns tomorrow in an event which features over 450 boxers from 90 countries.
Only the semi-finalists will make the cut for Youth Olympics and in some categories the draw is so crowded that a boxer will have to compete for at least four rounds before making the last-four stage.
The Championship is the only qualifying event for the Youth Olympic Games and boxers making the semis will make the grade for the inaugural event in Singapore.
India has sent an nine-member team for the competition.Despite widespread travel disruption due to a volcanic ash cloud that closed European airspace last week,only three countries Canada,Mexico and the United States did not make it to the tournament.
Earlier in the championship,Manjeet Kumar (57kg) advanced with a convincing win but Kishan Thapa (69kg) fell at the first hurdle. Manjeet beat Irelands Gholamreza Soozanizadeh 5-1 in a lop-sided bout but Kishan lost 2-5 to Georgias Nikoloz Sekhniashvili,on Sunday.
It was dominating performance by Manjeet despite the fact that the bout was a low-scoring. The Indian took a 2-0 lead in the opening round and added two more points in the second round. Gholamreza managed to score a point in the second round but he couldnt do anything after that as Manjeet closed it out 5-1.
However,there was disappointment for Kishan. He lost the battle in the opening round,conceding a 1-3 lead.
He fought back to make it 2-3 in the second round but his failure to score a single point in the final three minutes sealed his fate.
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