Indian boxers endure losses at Strandja Memorial tourney

Sumit Kundu and Anamika lost their respective preliminary-stage bouts at the Strandja Memorial tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Representative Image: A 17-member Indian contingent is participating in the tournament.

Indian boxers Sumit Kundu (75kg) and Anamika (50kg) lost their respective preliminary-stage bouts at the 73rd Strandja Memorial tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.

While Sumit lost 0-5 to the reigning world and European champion Oleksandr Khyzhniak of Ukraine in the pre-quarterfinals, Anamika lost 1-4 to Algeria’s Roumaysa Boualem in the last-eight stage on Wednesday. So far, Nandini (+81kg) assured India of its first medal by advancing to the semifinals with a dominating win over Kazakhstan’s Valeriya Axenova in the last-eight stage on Tuesday.

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The tournament features over 450 boxers from 36 countries, including traditional powerhouses such as Kazakhstan, Italy, Russia, France and Ukraine, where Russia launched a military operation on Thursday despite global appeal for restraint.

“So far, we have not noticed any impact of the conflict here. Ukrainian boxers competed yesterday and they are competing even today, the weigh-ins have been completed this morning,” a member of the Indian contingent told PTI over phone.

A 17-member Indian contingent, including seven men and 10 women, was sent to participate in the tournament.

India won two medals in the last edition with Deepak Kumar and Naveen Boora securing silver and bronze respectively.