5th AIBA Women's World Championships Ningbo City 2008 official page

One world champion is knocked out of the AIBA Women's World Championships Ningbo City 2008 after losing on day two of the preliminaries while mother of twins Mary Kom M.L. is one of five world champions to progress at the Ningbo Youngor Gymnasium on Sunday.

There were exhilarating scenes as the AIBA Women's World Championships Ningbo City 2008 entered its second day with 32 bouts featuring across the 46kg, 52kg, 57kg, 63kg, 66kg, 70kg, 75kg and 86kg divisions.

Pic: The "Magnificent" Mary Kom from India - The three-times world champion won her opening contest 24:1

India's "Magnificent" Mary Kom, a three-time world champion who has returned to boxing after giving birth to twin boys - Rechungvar and Khuneigar - in August last year, was the star of the day, beating Japan's Risa Sugimoto 24:1 in one of the opening 46kg contests.

Kom has competed in very edition of the AIBA Women's World Championships and at 25, she is showing no signs of slowing up, in fact she has admitted being inspired to return to the ring by India's outstanding performances at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Other world champions to join Kom in the next round include compatriot and Asian champion 52kg Laishram Sarita who beat France's two-times European Union champion Ouchen Saliha 12:5, Russia's two-times world champion and team captain Sofya Ochigava, 21, who beat the Ukraine's Mariya Sobchuk 15:2 in their 57kg preliminary clash, while Canada's Mary Spencer (2005 world champion) and Ariane Fortin both advanced in the 66kg and 70kg divisions after beating England's Amanda Coulson (13:4) and USA's two-times national champion Elena Parks Grace (RSC Round 1) respectively.

Pic: Norway's Ingrid Egner watches every move made by Kum Ju Yun (PRK). Yun won the 57kg contest 9:1

The shock of the day saw 86kg world champion and European champion Elena Surkova of Russia go down to China's three-times national champion, Asian champion and 2006 World Championships quarterfinalist Zhang Li Na in a terrific contest, with Zhang coming from 2:1 down to clinch the crucial Heavyweight clash.

One of the most fascinating bouts saw Jamila Jones of Trinidad and Tobago overcome Vietnam's Thi Chung Ngo in their 57kg contest 4:3. It is the first time Trinidad and Tobago, who have three boxers at these World Championships, have competed in the AIBA Women's World Championships and Jones, a 2007 and 2008 Pan American Games bronze medallist, was ecstatic with her victory after clinching the third and final round 3:2.

"I am extremely proud of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamila particularly for the way they have performed in this tournament," AIBA Women's Commission chairperson Ms. Joyce Bowen, who hails from Barbados, said. "The participation in this tournament is great for the Caribbean region as for most of the team. This tournament is about gaining experience, however, to win a bout like today will give the country and the region a tremendous boost."

Pic: Asian champion and three-times Chinese national champion Zhand Li Na beat defending champion Elena Surkova (RUS) 8:6 in their 86kg bout
 
Meanwhile, Australia's Claire Ghabrial also pulled off a big scalp by claiming the third and final round of her 63kg bout against 2007 European Championship silver medallist Oliwa Luczak (POL) 3:1 to win 5:4 while in another disappointing result for Poland, Kazakhstan's Shakhnoza Issakhanova beat 2006 World Championship bronze medallist Jagoda Karge on a countback after their 52kg bout was tied 7:7.
  
Day three of the AIBA Women's World Championships Ningbo City 2008 will see the 48kg, 50kg, 54kg, 57kg and 80kg divisions in action on the third of four days of preliminaries starting at 14:00 (local time).