Indian pugilists corner eight golds in YMCA Junior Boxing
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 4
Indian pugilists exhibited their superior class when they garnered eight of the ten gold medals at stake in the seven New Delhi YMCA Junior International Boxing Championship held at the YMCA ring, Jai Singh road, in the Capital on Monday.

But the best boxer award went to Joe Smyth of England A, won the light middle weight gold, after pounding Parvinder Singh of India, into virtual pulp. Joe Smyth scored an overwhelming 23-9 verdict to annex the gold.

Another Englishman to make his mark was Thomas Coward in the light welter, when he mercilessly punished Steven Brandant of Mauritious to pocket the gold with a 19-10 verdict.

He used the upper cut and the under cut to deadly effect to check-mate the Mauritian boxer, who showed aggression in snatches, but his lack of consistency and the fast and furious punched of Coward, made the Englishman a decisive winner.

Another foreigner in the title bout fray, Chin Yu Tsao of Chinese Taipei, was stopped in the first round when India’s very own Harpal Singh Sandhy, with a flurry of left-right combination punishment forced the Referee to Stop the Contest, the only RSC decision in the finals, in middle weight.

In the light heavy, Vinod Sumra made mincemeat of Joginder Singh to score a 17-10 verdict. In the opening bout of the day, Khimanand Belwal and Arun Singh fought tooth and nail, but Khimanand with his better reach, inflicted some heavy punishment on Arun Singh to score the vital points to emerge a 14-10 winner. Rovindev went for his prey, Durga Rao, from the first gong, like a wounded animal, to score a one-sided 16-4 points verdict in the fly weight, while Diwakar Prasad warded the challenge of Bijender Singh to win the bantam weight title with a 23-13 verdict.

In the feather weight, Jai Bhagwan Singh made light of the challenge of M Atheshamuddin to score a 14-2 verdict in his favour while Vijender Singh pounded Gautam Bhargav with a flurry punches to scored a 16-5 victory in the light weight.

Vikram Dhull of India showed no mercy on Kaylem Lowe of England while scoring a points verdict in the welter weight bout. The Senior National Boxing Championship will begin at the same venue on Tuesday.

India eyeing Olympic gold in boxing
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 4
Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) working president R S Dalal announced here today that India would spare not effort in winning a gold medal in boxing in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

“Our eyes are firmly set to secure a gold medal in the 2004 Olympic Games”, Mr Dalal said in the Capital on Monday. He said the IABF, under the dynamic leadership of Mr Abhay Singh Chautala, was sparing no effort to give the best of training and other facilities to the Indian boxers so that they are well-tuned out for the Olympic competition three years from now.

He said Mr Abhay Singh Chautala has injected “great enthusiasm and verve into the Indian boxing federation, and the IABF was very serious about India winning an Olympic medal in boxing”.

Mr Dalal also praised Sports Authority of India (SAI) director-general Shekhar Dutt for making available all the facilities for the smooth training and foreign exposure to the Indian boxers, both men and women.

Mr Shekhar Dutt, himself a boxer during his student days, promised the whole- hearted support of the SAI in realising the IABF’s dream of bringing an Olympic gold to the country. He said this while presiding over the final day’s bouts of the seventh New Delhi YMCA (Junior) International Boxing Championship, which was revived this year, after a gap of three years.

Top Asian players for Honda Masters
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 4
The Hero Honda Masters 2002 will witness one of the best fields to have ever assembled on Indian soil for any Asian PGA Tour event after seven of the top ten players from the 2001 Order of Merit entered the tournament.

Led by Asia No 1 player, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, the other top 10 players, who have confirmed their entries include No 3 Andrew Pitts of the US, No 4 Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, No 5 and defending champion Arjun Atwal, No 6 Simon Yates of Scotland, No 9 Vivek Bhandari of India and No 10, India-born Daniel Chopra of Sweden.

Also seen in action will be the No 1 player on the Hero Honda Indian Golf Tour, Mukesh Kumar, along with the maximum 15 players allowed from the host country’s Tour.

Twelve Indian players, including twice champion Jyoti Randhawa and the resurgent Arjun Singh, have got direct entry through the Asian PGA Tour list.

Jeev Milkha Singh, the only Indian to have qualified for both the Japanese and European PGA Tours, has received a sponsor’s exemption, thus bringing the total number of Indian players to 28.

Another interesting name in the field is Krishna Singh, brother of World No 9 Vijay Singh.

This will be Krishna’s first tournament in India, the country where his roots can be traced.

In all, 144 professionals and four amateurs will tee-off for the Masters. The cut will be applied at the half-way stage, and top 65 players and ties will make it to the final two rounds.

“We are delighted by the response from the Asian PGA Tour professionals and are looking forward to four days of exciting golf”, said Mr Pawan Munjal, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hero Honda Motors, who is also the president of the Professional Golfers, Association of India (PGAI) and vice-chairman of the Asian PGA.

The Hero Honda Masters 2002 will feature an increased prize purse of US$300,000, up by $100,000 from the last edition.

The tournament is sponsored by Hero Honda Motors and will be played at the Arnold Palmer-designed DLF Golf and Country Club from February 13 to 17.

Rajeev fashions XANSA’s victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 4
A brilliant 52 not out with five boundaries by Rajeev Khanna helped XANSA beat Canon India by six wickets in the 9th Teri Cup Cricket Tournament organised by TERI (Tata Energy Research Institute) at the Teri Oval, Gurgaon.

XANSA won the toss and put Canon India to bat. Canon India could make only 150 for 6 in 25 overs whereas XANSA knocked in the required runs for the loss of four wickets in 21.3 overs, thanks to the blistering knock of Rajeev Khanna.

Scores: Canon India: 150 for 6 in 25 overs (Sundeep Sethi 38, 3x4; Suryakanth 33 n o, 4x4).

XANSA: 151 for 4 in 21.3 overs (Himanshu 54, 3x4; Rajeev Khanna 52 n o, 5x4, Sundeep Sethi 2/20).