New Delhi: Boxers Ankush Panghal, Parveen Hooda, and Narender Brewal advanced to the semi-finals of their respective categories at the Asian Games on Sunday, guaranteeing India three medals. In contrast, Sachin Siwach was eliminated from the competition after losing to Shunsuke Kitamoto, a local favourite and bronze medallist at the 2025 World Championships.
Ankush Secures Gold at Commonwealth Games
Ankush, a 20-year-old boxer, recently claimed a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow. In the Round of 16, he triumphed over Bahrain’s Hamsa Vogel.
This victory follows a successful year for Ankush, who first gained recognition at the World Boxing Cup Finals in Greater Noida last year, where he secured a silver medal. Earlier this year, he also won another silver at the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar, solidifying his position on the national team before his latest achievement at the CWG.
Ankush, making his Asian Games debut, dominated Tajikistan’s Salimov Nekruz in all three rounds and cruised to a unanimous 5-0 win in the 80kg quarter-final. Another Glasgow gold medallist, Parveen Hooda, also advanced to the last four with a 5-0 win over 2025 World Championships silver medallist from Uzbekistan Khamidova Navbakhor in the women’s 65kg quarter-final. Narender Berwal, the 2023 Asiad bronze medallist, registered a dominating win over Thailand’s Saengtep Adthapong in the +90kg quarter-final. The Thai looked ill-equipped for the contest and Narender took full toll, winning by RSC in just 1:37 minutes. Sachin Siwach was the only reversal for the boxing contingent on the day, the 60kg pugilist losing to Japan’s Kitamoto Shunsuke by a 0-5 scoreline.
A semi-final spot means the army man from Hisar, Haryana will return with at least a bronze. Parveen, who received an opening round walkover, landed a flurry of combination punches on her opponent to impress the judges. The medal is sweet redemption for Rohtak’s Hooda whose bronze medal from the previous edition of the Games was taken away after WADA suspended her for whereabouts failure.
