Shiva Thapa joins six other Indian boxers in Olympic Test event semi-finals

Four-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa (63kg) secured a medal at the Olympic Test event in Tokyo, Japan, by winning his quarterfinal bout on Tuesday. Six other Indians made the last-four stage without even stepping inside the ring as they either got byes or were helped by the small size of their respective draws.

Asian silver-medallist Sangwan will square off against Kazakhstan’s Aibek Oralbay. Zareen, who has been in the headlines recently for a bitter row over selection for next year’s Olympic qualifiers where six-time world champion M C Mary Kom has been preferred over her without a trial, will face Japan’s Sana Kawano on Wednesday. Rani will be up against Brazil’s Beatriz Soares. Rani had won a silver medal at the Asian Championships earlier this year.

The only drawback for the country’s contingent was the exit of Anant Choapde in the quarterfinals, who went down 2-3 in a hard-fought contest against local hope Tosho Kashiwasaki.