Women's National Boxing C'ship: Dominant Railways secures five golds; Haryana, AIP get podium finishes

Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 27 : Railways stamped their authority on the 8th Elite Women's National Boxing Championship, defending their title in emphatic fashion with nine medals in total, as all five of their finalists clinched gold at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex on Thursday.
Haryana finished second with six medals, including two golds and a string of silver medals, while All India Police (AIP) came in third with seven medals, including one gold, as per a press release from the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).
Throughout this week-long tournament, which adhered to the World Boxing Technical and Competition Rules, 188 boxers from 24 state units competed across ten weight categories. Overall, Railways secured five golds and four bronzes. The second-placers, Haryana, achieved two golds, three silvers, and one bronze. Meanwhile, the All India Police accumulated one gold, four silvers, and two bronzes.
Furthermore, Boxing Federation of India President Ajay Singh announced a Rs 50,000 cash prize for the championship's top performers, with Jaismine Lamboria of Services Sports Promotion Board winning Best Boxer and Simranjit Kaur of Punjab named Best Challenger. Laxmi was awarded Best Referee, while Rekha Swami took home Best Judge.
Speaking on the occasion, BFI President Ajay Singh confirmed plans for the upcoming National Championships: "The Youth National Championship is set to take place in April at the same venue, followed by the Junior National Championship in Nainital in May. Additionally, the Sub-Junior National Championship will be held in Delhi or Goa in June. We remain committed to protecting the interests of our boxers and ensuring that all National Championships are successfully completed within the next two months."
Singh also expressed gratitude to the UP Boxing Association, BFI officials, players, and referees for a smooth event while urging boxers to aim for the World Boxing Cup, set to take place in India in November.
Leading Railways' charge, Anamika and Nupur successfully defended their national crowns. Anamika, the reigning light flyweight champion, defeated Haryana's Tamanna with a unanimous vote, while heavyweight queen Nupur similarly overpowered All India Police's Kiran to claim back-to-back titles.
Sonia Lather, last year's 57kg gold medallist, proved her versatility by moving up to 60kg and sealing victory with a 4:1 split decision over AIP's Sanju. Sanamacha Chanu continued her dominant run with a 5:2 win over Haryana's Saneh, while Muskan ended Punjab's Anjali's hopes with a first-round stoppage.
Services delivered a flawless campaign, with Jaismine Lamboria and Sakshi ensuring a 100 percent win record for their unit. Jaismine, unstoppable all tournament, delivered another commanding performance, outclassing Haryana's Priya 5:0 to take the featherweight crown. Sakshi made quick work of Abha Singh, securing an RSC R1 win to wrap up a perfect campaign for Services.
Haryana's Pooja Rani, last year's 75kg champion, stepped up to 80kg and denied AIP's Lalfakmawi Ralte a gold medal for the second consecutive time. Neeraj Phogat added to Haryana's tally with a gritty 4:3 win over Simranjit Kaur in the 60-65kg division. Minakshi ensured a gold for All India Police, after she opened the day with a successful title defence, which concluded in a 5:0 win over Sikkim's Yasika Rai.
Final Results
45-48kg - Gold: Minakshi (AIP), Silver: Yasika Rai (SIK), Bronze: Sanjana (DEL), Rajni (RSPB)
48-51kg - Gold: Anamika (RSPB), Silver: Tamanna (HAR), Bronze: Kalaivani S (TN), Sunita (RAJ)
51-54kg - Gold: Sakshi (SSCB), Silver: Abha Singh (AIP), Bronze: Savita (RSPB), Aarti Dhariyal (UTK)
54-57kg - Gold: Jaismine (SSCB), Silver: Priya (HAR), Bronze: Vishakha Varitya (PUN), Poonam (RSPB)
57-60kg - Gold: Sonia Lather (RSPB), Silver: Sanju (AIP), Bronze: Poonam Kaithwas (MAH), Aparajita Mani (UP)
60-65kg - Gold: Neeraj Phogat (HAR), Silver: Simranjit Kaur (PUN), Bronze: Alena Devi (MAN), Sonu (AIP)
65-70kg - Gold: Sanamacha Chanu (RSPB), Silver: Saneh (HAR), Bronze: Imroz Khan (AIP), Lalita (RAJ)
70-75kg - Gold: Muskan (RSPB), Silver: Anjali (PUN), Bronze: Shweta (RAJ), Anju (CHD)
75-80kg - Gold: Pooja Rani (HAR), Silver: Lalfakmawi Ralte (AIP), Bronze: Anupama (RSPB), Pranshu Rathore (CHD)
80+kg - Gold: Nupur (RSPB), Silver: Kiran (AIP), Bronze: Ipsita Vikram (UP), Priyanka Tewatia (HAR).