THE duo of Samiksha Singh and Anant Deshmukh have made the city proud by making it to the Indian team for Asian Junior Boxing Championship to be held at Amman, Jordan from April 15. Both Samiksha and Anant won their respective finals in the Junior Boxing Nationals that concluded at SAI NCOE, Rohtak, Haryana on Thursday. On fifth and final day of the competitions, Samiksha won the title in Junior Girls Under-17 50 to 52 kgs weight category while Anant was unbeaten in the Junior Boys Under-17 63 to 66 kgs weight category. Samiksha won her quarter-final against boxer from Manipur on points.

 

In the semi-finals, she defeated her Haryana opponent also on points. In the all important final, Samiksha got the better of Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) boxer on points to become part of the Indian contingent. In the Junior Boys group, Anant won on points against boxer from Delhi. In the last-four bout, he defeated his rival from Prayagraj. Anant was pitted against pugilist from Haryana and won the summit clash on points and a place in Indian team. Both boxers train under guidance of NSNIS boxing coach Ganesh Purohit at Mankapur Sports Complex, Nagpur. Porus Kotwal, Secretary, Nagpur District Boxing Association (NDBA), members of NDBA and Nagpur City Boxing Association have congratulated both boxers and have wished them good luck for their future endeavours.