GUWAHATI, Nov 20: India�s campaign was off to a reasonably good start as Ashtha Pahwa (69 kg) entered quarterfinals while Shashi Chopra (57 kg) made the last-16 stage after winning their respective opening bouts at the AIBA Women�s Youth World Championships here today.
However host nation�s Vanlalhriatpuii (60kg) bowed out losing her opening round bout.
In her opening round contest which was also the pre-quarterfinal, Astha defeated Melis Yonuzova of Bulgaria.
Shashi defeated Uzbekistan�s Durdonakhon Rakhmatova in a unanimous verdict, while Vanlalhriatpuii went down to South Korea�s Im Aeji in a split verdict in her opening bout. Shashi was in action in the first session and grabbed the early advantage by taking the lead in launching attacks. The following two rounds followed a similar script as Shashi got the judges� unanimous nod.
Shashi�s put her Uzbek opponent on the backfoot using the double jab followed by a left-right-left combination of punches.
She managed to connect a powerful left hook on the right temple of her opponent that got Rakhmatova standing count, seconds before the bell.
The gold-medallist from Balkan Youth International Championship, will next face the Chinese Taipei�s Lin Li Wei- Yi, who got a first-round bye.
In the evening session, Vanlalhriatpuii, also a reigning national champion, was up against a quick-moving and aggressive Aeji. � PTI