Mary Kom in final, controversial loss for Sarita

India's M.C. Mary Kom secured a berth in the women's 48-51 kg final while compatriot L. Sarita Devi was robbed of what could have been at least a silver or a possible gold in a controversial 57-60 kg category semifinal bout of the 17th Asian Games here Tuesday.

Later in the day, Pooja Rani also lost her 69-75 kg semifinal to settle for the bronze while Satish Kumar and Vikas Krishan assured India of two more medals from the discipline after they reached the men's semi-finals in their respective categories.

A five-time World champion, Mary Kom beat Vietnam's Le Thi Bang by a unanimous 3-0 decision in the last-four match to enter the final. The Olympic bronze medallist looked in fine form and her speed and guile was just too much to handle for the Vietnamese.

While two judges ruled the bout 40-36 in favour of the 31-year-old Indian, the third judge gave awarded the bout 39-37 to Mary at the Seonhak Gymnasium. The Manipuri pugilist will take on Kazakhstan's Zhaina Shekerbekova in the final Wednesday.

Later, L. Sarita Devi lost her semi-final bout in controversial circumstances and had to be content with the bronze in the 57-60 kg category. The 32-year-old lost 0-3 in a unanimous judges' decision to South Korea's Jina Park.

Judges B and C awarded the round 10-9 to the Indian. However, Judge A gave it 10-9 to the South Korean.

The controversy took place in the third round as the Indian battered Park with her punches but Judges B and C awarded the round 10-9 in favour of the host fighter while Judge A gave the round 10-9 to Sarita.

The fourth and decisive round was also a closely-fought affair but all three judges awarded the round 10-9 to the South Korean that sealed her passage to the final.

Sarita's disappointment was followed by Pooja who lost her 69-75 kg semi-final to claim bronze. She lost 0-2, with the third judge giving a tied score to China's Li Qian.

The 23-year-old Indian got 37-39 from the first judge while the second judge went 39-37 in favour of the 24-year-old Chinese. Pooja got 30 points in the second round in comparison to Chinese's 27. But Li Qian turned the tables in the third round and bagged full points from all the judges.

In the men's section, Satish Kumar assured the country a medal by reaching the semis in the +91 kg category after winning his quarter-final bout 2-1 against Jordan's Hussein Eishaish.

He got a cumulative 28-29 verdict from Judge A but favourable verdicts from Judges B and C, both giving 29-28 to the Indian after completion of three rounds. He will take on Kazakhstan's Ivan Dycho in the last four match Thursday.

Vikas Krishan also ensured a medal for India by reaching the men's 75 kg quarter-final by drubbing Hurshidbek Normatov of Uzbekistan 3-0.

Earlier, Shiva Thapa lost his quarter-final bout in the 56 kg category, going down to Philippines' Mazrio Fernandez 0-3 by a unanimous judges' decision.

L. Devendro Singh also went down 0-3 in the men's 46-49 kg quarter-final to South Korea's Shin Jonghun.

-Indo-Asian News Service

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