Laishram Sarita Devi

Laishram Sarita Devi (born 1 March 1982) is an Indian boxer from Manipur. She is a national champion and a former world champion in the lightweight class.[1] In 2009, she was awarded Arjuna award by the government of India for her achievements.[2]

Sarita Devi
Personal information
Full nameLaishram Sarita Devi
NationalityIndian
Born (1982-03-01) 1 March 1982
Thoubal khunou, Thoubal, Manipur, India
Height168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight60 kg (132 lb)
Sport
SportBoxing
Weight classLightweight
ClubAll India Police
Medal record
Women's amateur boxing
Representing  India
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2006 New DelhiLight bantamweight
Bronze medal – third place2005 PodolskBantamweight
Bronze medal – third place2008 NingboLight bantamweight
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place2003 HisarBantamweight
Gold medal – first place2005 Kaohsiung CityBantamweight
Gold medal – first place2008 GuwahatiLight bantamweight
Gold medal – first place2010 AstanaFlyweight
Gold medal – first place2012 UlaanbaatarLightweight
Silver medal – second place2001 BangkokFeatherweight
Bronze medal – third place2017 Ho Chi Minh CityLight welterweight
Bronze medal – third place2019 BangkokLightweight
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place2014 IncheonLightweight
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place2014 GlasgowLightweight

Early life

Sarita Devi was born in Khunou Thoubal into a Meitei Hindu family, as the sixth of eight siblings. She used to spend her time helping her parents in collecting firewood and in the fields, which helped her build the stamina she has today.[3] Sarita completed her high school in Waithou Mapal High School till the eighth standard and then went to Bal Baidya Mandir, Thoubal to complete her matriculation. She then went to an open-school to complete her twelfth standard to cope with her busy boxing schedule.[3]

Career

Devi turned professional in boxing in 2000, inspired by the achievements of Muhammad Ali. The following year, she represented India at the Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok, and won a silver medal in her weight class.[4] Following this victory, she won medals in various tournaments, including a gold at the 2006 World Championships in New Delhi. In 2005, she was offered the post of Sub-Inspector (SI) by the police department of Manipur, for winning a bronze medal in the 3rd World Women Boxing Championship, Russia and was promoted to the rank of DSP in February, 2010.[5] She also won the silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.[6]

She failed to qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics, after losing to Victoria Torres, with a score of 0–3.[7] In 2018, she won Silver Medal at Indian Open International Championships, New Delhi and bagged a Gold Medal at Sr. National Boxing Championships, Rohtak. She also won in Women's World Boxing Championship with a split 4-0 verdict against Sandra Diana.[8]

2014 Asian Games controversy

Devi entered the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, competing in the lightweight category. With a win margin of 3–0 both in the Round of 16 and Quarterfinals, she entered the semifinals to face South Korea's Park Ji-Na on 30 September. After the match, she was handed a 0–3 defeat verdict by the judges of the match, which turned out to be hugely controversial, considering that Devi had knocked Park out in the third round and also a convincing fourth round, before having rained heavy blows on Park throughout the first two rounds.[9][10] Following this, the Indian team lodged a protest against the decision, which was rejected by the AIBA's technical committee.[11] At the medal awarding ceremony, Devi refused to accept her bronze medal and handed it over to the silver medallist, Park.[12] However, she accepted the medal later.[13] This was followed by provisional suspension of her coaches by the AIBA. She was handed a one-year ban by the AIBA.[14]

References

  1. "Laishram Sarita Devi defeats Alexandra Kuleshova of Russia in Boxing World Championships". sportskeeda.com. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  2. "Mary Kom and Sarita Devi receive Awards". newstrackindia. 14 September 2009.
  3. E-Pao!. "Laishram Sarita Devi - 'Arjuna Award' Awardee in the field of Women Boxing -". About Sarita Devi. E-Pao!. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  4. "Woman boxer Laishram Sarita Devi crowned with Arjuna Award". oneindia.in. 29 August 2009. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  5. "profile of sarita".
  6. "CWG Silver Medallist Boxer Sarita Devi To Quit After Olympics 2016". NDTV. 20 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  7. "2016 Rio Olympics".
  8. "women world championship".
  9. "Asian Games: Sarita Devi loses controversial bout, settles for bronze". India Today. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  10. "Asian Games 2014: Sarita Devi Loses Controversial Boxing Semifinal, Husband Loses Cool". NDTV. 30 September 2014. Archived from the original on 3 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  11. "Indian boxing team protest against Sarita's loss rejected". The Hindu. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  12. "Inconsolable Sarita refuses bronze, medal with organisers". The Hindu. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  13. "Boxer Sarita Devi Accepts Bronze Medal After Olympic Council of Asia Hearing". NDTV. 3 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  14. "Sarita let off with one-year ban". The Tribune. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
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