Indian boxer Satish Kumar bowed out of the Tokyo Olympics men's super heavyweight tournament on Sunday (August 1).
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Indian boxer Satish Kumar bowed out of the Tokyo Olympics men’s super heavyweight tournament on Sunday (August 1). Satish making it to the semis was always going to be a tall order. (Tokyo 2020 full coverage)
He faced Uzbekhistan’s Bakhodir Jalolov, who is the top seed in the category. To make things worse, Satish was only medically cleared for the bout on Sunday morning itself.
He had picked up an injury above his eye during the last match which needed stitches. As such, it was little surprise to see Jalolov on top for most of the bout.
Kumar put in a good showing given the circumstances. But it was a task too big for the Olympic debutant and him losing was no surprise.
Jalolov took all three rounds easily, meaning he won the bout by unanimous decision. He is now guaranteed a bronze medal but is favourite to win gold in this category.
The Tokyo Olympics, which was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now up and running. The Games have not been without their share of controversies, however.
The event is happening despite plenty of protests from the Japanese people against it. And the angst is not without reason. Tokyo is currently in a state of emergency due to a rise in COVID cases.
The Games will by and large be played out in the absence of fans, always a major psychological blow to athletes. There’s also been a number of cases reported in the Olympic village itself.
Nevertheless, the Games remain an event that many around the world will be keen to watch. From July 23 to August 8, many will be hooked onto their televisions to follow the events.
India were pinning some medal hopes on boxing. Three boxers including Satish made it into the quarters. Making the semis guarantees a broze medal. However, so far only Lovlina Borgohain is assured a medal in boxing.
