Shiva Thapa, six others enter semifinals of Olympic Test event for boxing
Tokyo: Four-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa (63kg) secured himself a medal at the Olympic Test event for boxing by winning his quarterfinal bout on Tuesday while six other Indians made the last-four stage without even stepping inside the ring here.
Thapa overpowered local favourite Yuki Hirakawa in a 5-0 verdict to fight his way into the medal rounds. The seasoned boxer from Assam claimed his third national title earlier this month.
He will be up against another Japanese, Daisuke Narimatsu, in the semifinals on Wednesday. Narimatsu got a bye in the opening round.
However, for his six other compatriots, including former junior world champion Nikhat Zareen (51kg), a medal was guaranteed without a fight as they either got byes or were helped by the small size of their respective draws.
Apart from Zareen, Asian silver-medallist Sumit Sangwan (91kg), Ashish (69kg), Vanhlimpuia (75kg), Simranjeet Kaur (60kg) and Pooja Rani (75kg) have made the semifinals.
Sangwan, who was crowned national champion earlier this month, will square off against Kazakhstan's Aibek Oralbay.
Zareen, who hit the headlines recently for a bitter row over selection for next year's Olympic qualifiers where six-time world champion M C Mary Kom has been preferred over her without a trial, will face Japan's Sana Kawano on Wednesday.
Former Asian Games bronze-medallist Rani will be up against Brazil's Beatriz Soares. Rani had won a silver medal at the Asina Championships earlier this year.
Opponents for the other Indian boxers will be known later after the quarterfinal bouts conclude on Tuesday evening.
The only disappointment for the country's contingent was the quarterfinal exit of Anant Choapde, who went down 2-3 in a hard-fought contest against local hope Tosho Kashiwasaki.
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Bengaluru airport ships over 60 mn roses this Valentine's season
Bengaluru (PTI): As the Valentine's season drove peak demand of fresh roses worldwide, Kempegowda International Airport here shipped around 60 million rose stems, weighing more than 2,700 tonnes, across 26 international destinations, officials said on Tuesday.
The facility, operated by Bangalore International Airport Limited, also transported roses to 47 domestic destinations.
The exports mark a 38 per cent year-on-year increase in stem volumes and a 64 per cent rise in tonnage, reinforcing the Bengaluru Airport's position as India's leading gateway for perishable exports for five consecutive years, they said.
According to a BIAL statement, international shipments remained steady at 305 MT with Singapore emerging as the top overseas destination, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Abu Dhabi, New York and Kuwait. New international destinations added this season include Los Angeles , London Gatwick , Dallas Fort Worth, Toronto and Orlando.
"On the domestic front, 2,402 MT of roses were transported, recording a 79 per cent year-on-year increase in tonnage. Delhi and Kolkata continued to anchor demand, while Guwahati, Mumbai and Jaipur maintained strong throughput," it stated.
The BIAL said that notably Kolkata, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Lucknow recorded over 150 per cent growth compared to last season.
"This momentum is further supported by expanded cargo infrastructure of BLR (Bengaluru) Airport ensuring freshness, speed, and temperature precision."
"The state-of-the-art cold chain facilities, equipped with real-time tracking and advanced technology safeguards every shipment, proactively managing temperature fluctuations for seamless storage, handling, and transport," it added.
