Sarita Devi to represent women boxers at national federation

L Sarita Devi

Former world and Asian champion L Sarita Devi was yesterday elected representative of women boxers in the national federation's Executive Council. Sarita, who won a bronze medal at the Asian Championships last year, was voted in by 22 of the 31 team captains at the election conducted during the ongoing National Championships in Rohtak.

She beat Railways Sports Promotion Board's Seema Punia, the lone candidate up against her in the polls. Meanwhile, Sarita (60kg) and Asian silver-medallist Sonia Lather (57kg) advanced to the semi-finals after winning their respective quarter-final bouts. Former World Championships silver-medallist Sarju Bala (48kg) of Manipur also cruised through to the semis, beating Madhya Pradesh's Deepa Kumari 5-0 at the National Boxing Academy.

Representing the All India Police, Sarita out-punched Arunachal Pradesh's Aquillia Dupak in the first round itself to make the medal rounds. Railway Sports Promotion Board's Sonia, on the other hand, defeated Uttarakhand's Kamla Bisht 5-0 in a completely lop-sided affair.

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