Uktamova, Pang, Shymbergenov and Okazawa were the heroes of the evening session in Hangzhou
Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamova and DPR Korea’s Pang Chol Mi earned the next Olympic quotas for Paris but Japan’s Sewon Okazawa and Kazakhstan’s Aslanbek Shymbergenov were also heroes of the evening session.
DPR Korea’s 29-year-old Pang Chol Mi eliminated South Korea’s Im Ae Ji in the Round of 16 and she had another remarkable performance at the bantamweight (54kg) today. The former World Champion returned in a new weight class and she impressed against Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tran in the first round. The North Korean increased her tempo in the second and she became the next Olympian boxer in Paris winning the quarter-final by large margin of differences.
Japan’s Rinka Kinoshita was ASBC Asian Champion at the flyweight (52kg) in Amman one year ago but due to her Olympic dreams, she switched to the bantamweight (54kg). The 23-year-old boxer faced a younger opponent, Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian U22 Champion Nigina Uktamova for the quota in the second bout of the evening session. Kinoshita had an advantage on the scorecards after three minutes but Uktamova stepped into the gas and the Uzbek turned back this quarter-final and she earned her nation’s first Olympic quota.
Vietnam’s Luu Diem Quynh moved down to the middleweight (75kg) and she was selected to the team after some years of hiatus. The Vietnamese boxer had a veteran opponent from Nepal, Saraswati Rana who gave in everything already in the first round. Luu adopted the rhythm and she mobilized all of her power in the second to take the lead on the judges’ scorecards. Luu managed to win the third round and the entire bout which means that she is a medallist but will be boxing for the Olympic quota with China’s World Champion Li Qian.
Japan’s Shudai Harada joined the elite national team at the men’s featherweight (57kg) last year but he progressed from competition to competition. The Japanese had the excellent strategy against Mongolia’s Lundaa Gantumur, the last year’s Asian bronze medallist and Harada had the advantage after one round. The Mongolian found the best weapon against the Japanese boxer too late only in the third round therefore Harada managed to join the quarter-finals.
Thailand’s Rujakran Juntrong claimed a bronze medal at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games and after a few poor years he worked hard to be fir for the featherweight (57kg). He replaced Sarawut Sukthet in the team and the 27-year-old Thai dominated his preliminary bout against Palestine’s teenager, Wasim Abusal today. Juntrong was too strong for the young Palestinian and he secured his place in the quarter-finals in this tough weight class. Japan’s Sewon Okazawa, the 2021 World Champion, landed several body shots in the first and second rounds against another star boxer, the World bronze finisher Nishant Dev of India. Okazawa worked hard and his style was uncomfortable for the 23-year-old Indian athlete which means the Japanese joined the semi-finals at the light middleweight (71kg). Okazawa will now meet for the Olympic spot Kazakhstan’s Aslanbek Shymbergenov who stopped another World Champion, Asadkhudja Muydinkhudjayev in the top fight of the session.
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