Commonwealth Games: Pugilists Solanki, Kaushik book last eight spots

Gold Coast: Debutants Gaurav Solanki (52kg) and Manish Kaushik (60kg) advanced to the quarter-finals, continuing Indian boxers’ fine preliminary run at the CWG here.

While Solanki eased past Ghana’s Akimos Annang Ampiah 5-0, Kaushik staved off some early resistance from Trinidad and Tobago’s Michael Alexander to win 4-0. Solanki faces Papua new Guinea’s Charles Keama while Kaushik squares off against England’s European championships bronze medallist Calum French.

Meanwhile, quarter-miler Muhammed Anas qualified for the finals after winning his semi-final heat in 45.44 seconds. His final race will be held on Tuesday.

Anas became only the second Indian to make the finals of the one lap race in the quadrennial Games after the legendary Milkha Singh won gold in the 440 yards race at Cardiff in 1958 in 46.6 seconds.

Earlier, national record holder Tejaswin Shankar advanced to the finals of the high jump competition after finishing ninth in the qualifying round.

In the women’s 400m heats, Hima Das made the semi-finals with a timing of 52.11sec, which left her eighth in the overall standings. However, M.R. Povamma failed to qualify, clocking 53.72sec in her heat to finish 24th overall.

Hockey men eye semis

There haven’t been any defeats to worry over but the Indian men’s hockey team will be eager to ensure that their unconvincing campaign finally gets going against lower-ranked Malaysia on Tuesday.

A win on Tuesday would strengthen India’s chances of making the semi-finals.