Six-time World champion Mary Kom (51kg) and World No. 1 Amit Panghal (52kg) qualified for the Olympic Games, while Manish Kaushik (63kg) remained in the hunt for a Tokyo berth despite losing his quarterfinal bout at the Asia/Oceania Qualifiers here on Monday.
Second-seeded Mary Kom notched up a comfortable 5-0 win over the Philippines’ Irish Magno in her quarterfinal bout to book a ticket to her second Olympics. She won a bronze in the 2012 London Games.
Panghal qualified for his maiden Olympics, edging out familiar foe Carlo Paalam of the Philippines in a 4-1 split quarterfinal verdict, while Kaushik lost 2-3 to third seed Chinzorig Baatarsukh of Mongolia after another intense battle.
“I dedicate my Olympic quota to my uncle Raj Narayan, it’s his birthday and he is someone who gives me a lot of courage,” said Panghal. “I followed the instructions given by my coaches.”
Next up for Panghal is China’s Jianguan Hu, who stunned world bronze-medallist and fourth seed Kazakh Saken Bibossinov 5-0.
“I have beaten him in the Asian Championships and I know how to get the better of him,” Panghal said of his next opponent.
Kaushik also remains in contention for a berth if he can win the box-off between losing quarterfinalists.
Former junior world champion Sakshi Chaudhary (57kg) failed to secure a berth after losing to Korea’s Im Aeji in the quarterfinals.
