Asian Games: Preeti Pawar Wins Olympic Quota, Assures India Of A Medal; Lovlina Borgohain In Semis
NDTV
Preeti Pawar secured a quota for the Paris Olympics and also assured herself of a medal, moving into the women's 54kg semifinals of the Asian Games on Saturday.
Indian boxer Preeti Pawar secured a quota for the Paris Olympics and also assured herself of a medal along with Lovlina Borgohain as they moved into the semifinals of the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Saturday. The 19-year-old Preeti put up a fearless display against Kazakhstan's Zhaina Shekerbekova, a three-time World Championship medallist and reigning Asian champion, to eke out a 4-1 win in a fiercely fought 54kg quarterfinal bout Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina, who received a first round bye, used her long reach to expectedly defeat South Korea's Seong Suyeon by a 5-0 unanimous decision in the women's 75 kg category.
(Asian Games 2023 Medals Tally | Asian Games 2023 Full Schedule)
Lovlina is now a win away from earning an Olympic quota.
Preeti started the bout on the offensive but her defence was broken several times by the more experienced rival. Unperturbed, the Indian teenager continued to pummel Shekerbekova to take a slender 3-2 lead in the first round.
