Sarita Devi in action against Kimberly Gittens during the round of 16 bout against on day three of the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Indian boxers' rampaging run continued unabated as the veteran duo of L Sarita Devi (60kg) and Manoj Kumar (59kg) advanced to the quarterfinals along with Commonwealth Games debutant Mohammed Hussamuddin (56kg) in Gold Coast on Saturday. Sarita, who claimed a bronze in the 2014 edition, pummelled Barbados' Kimberly Gittens in her opening clash to make the last-eight stage.
"I really want to go for gold this time. I've been working so hard to get to this stage," Sarita said after her triumph.
In the evening session, Hussamuddin, the gold-medallist from India Open, had no trouble in dismantling Vanuatu's Boe Warawara.
The script was similar in the clash between Manoj and Tanzania's Kassim Mbundwike, bout that the Indian won unanimously. The 31-year-old is in pursuit of his second CWG medal after the gold-winning performance in the 2010 Delhi Games.
Tomorrow, MC Mary Kom will open her campaign and a win will assure her of a medal in her debut appearance at the Games.
Mary Kom will be up against Scotland's Megan Gordon and is the favourite to claim the gold medal. Amit Panghal (49kg) and Naman Tanwar (91kg) had earlier won their opening bouts to make the last-eight stage on Friday.
