Sonia Lather
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Achievements
The Times of India, May 28 2016
Ritu Sejwal
Settles for silver
Sonia Lather was a little-known name before the World Championship boxing began in Astana in 2016. But by the time the tournament concluded, she was being hailed as the next star in Indian women's boxing after Mary Kom and Sarita Devi.
Sonia, who was the lone Indian to make the final in any weight category, lost to top seed AlessiaMesiano of Italy 1-2 in the 57kg category to settle for silver.
The lady from Haryana, who is working as a junior clerk with the Indian Railways, had won the Asian Championship silver in 2012.
AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship
The Times of India, May 27 2016
Sonia Lather (57kg) stood just one win away from ending India's six-year-old gold medal drought at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship as she advanced to final after outpunching Kazakhstan's Aizhan Khojabekova in the last-four stage.
The 24-year-old Sonia, who is a 2012 Asian Championships silver-medallist, defeated Khojabekova 3-0 to set up a clash with Italian Alessia Mesiano, who got the better of Bulgaria's Denitsa Eliseeva by a similar margin.
The lone Indian left in the fray, Sonia was quick off the blocks against her rather sloppy rival. Combining right hooks with power-packed jabs, Sonia threw Khojabekova off balance on more than one occasion.
Khojabekova was mostly clueless when it came to defending herself and her feeble attempts at attack were blocked or evaded effortlessly by the quick-thinking Haryana girl.
In the end, it was hardly a surprise that judges ruled unanimously in Sonia's favour. Sonia's performance is the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing show by the Indians in the event, where none from the country , including the celebrated M C Mary Kom, could qualify for Rio Games in the three Olympic categories of 51kg, 60kg and 75 kg.
