Maha’s Ovi is best boxer, Akola’s Gopal bags gold

Nagpur: Maharashtra's young guns signed off in style on the last day of the Under-17 National Boxing Championship at the MLA Hostel on Saturday. Ovi Adwait headlined the state's charge by clinching gold and Best Boxer (Girls) award.Competing in the 50kg final, Ovi delivered a composed yet aggressive performance to outpunch SSCB's Naitik 4:1 in a gripping contest. The narrow split verdict reflected the intensity, but Ovi's superior ring craft and tactical discipline ultimately sealed the bout — and capped a standout campaign. In the boys' section, Akola's Gopal Ganeshe stamped his authority with an emphatic 5:0 win over Uttarakhand's Aman in the 52kg to win gold. From the opening bell, Gopal pressed forward, cutting off the ring and landing crisp combinations to keep his opponent on the defensive.Maharashtra added another gold through Mamta in the 52kg (light bantam) category, who completely outclassed Haryana's Yanshika with a dominant 5:0 verdict. However, Nagpur's Samiksha had to settle for silver after a hard-fought 57kg (featherweight) final, going down 1:4 to SSCB's Navya. Samiksha showed resilience and matched her opponent punch-for-punch in phases, but Navya's sharper scoring bursts and better finishing in key exchanges tilted the bout away, leaving the Maharashtra boxer just short despite a spirited display. Similarly, Shanaya (63kg) and Avantika (48kg) also finished with silver medals after defeats to Haryana's Diya and Uttarakhand's Khushi, respectively. In the boys' section, Akola's Gopal Ganeshe stamped his authority with an emphatic 5:0 win over Uttarakhand's Aman in the 52kg to win gold. From the opening bell, Gopal pressed forward, cutting off the ring and landing crisp combinations to keep his opponent on the defensive. In the team standings, Haryana dominated both sections, clinching the girls' title with 51 points and the boys' crown with 55 points. Maharashtra finished runners-up in the girls' category with 42 points, while a close fight in the boys' standings saw Uttar Pradesh edge Maharashtra for third place. The championship also saw Maharashtra officials earning accolades, with Dinesh Chhapane named Best Judge and Rashmi Jagdish Bhagat adjudged Best Referee. National junior girls coach Jitendra Singh said the ring craft and mental toughness displayed by players, especially from Maharashtra, signal a promising future. Echoing the sentiment, Maharashtra Boxing Association secretary Rakesh Tiwari said the performances reflect the boxers' hard work and potential to shine on the international stage.
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