Delhi's Karan Vats, Arunachal's Tyson shine on day 1 of Sub Junior Boys' Nationals

Delhi's Karan Vats and Arunachal Pradesh's Tyson Natung were standout performers on the opening day of the first-ever Sub Junior Boys' Boxing Nationals which got underway at the National Boxing Academy in Rohtak on Tuesday. Delhi and Haryana dominated the proceedings on the first day of the tournament, featuring 33 teams and 326 boxers.

The 14-year-old Vats has tasted success at the School Nationals, winning a silver medal at Varanasi in 2017 and at Daman and Diu last year. Besides, he has also been a Delhi state champion thrice in 40kg. Vats brought all his experience to thoroughly dominate his first-round bout against Mizoram's Lalhruaitluanga before he was declared a winner by RSC in Round 3.

Arunachal's 13-year-old state gold medallist, Natung, who is fondly called Tyson by his friends, too had no problems in dispatching Narayan Jena of Orissa whom he beat by RSC in Round 1. Delhi also had winners in Rudra, a 4-1 winner over Soham Dixit in 35kg. His statemate Bhavishya Vats dazzled in 37kg in a 5-0 demolition of Meghalaya boy Mewanlamdiang Rangee.

From Haryana, Vishesh shone with a 5-0 thumping of Telengana's Fawaz Zail in 35kg. Divansh Shukla in 40kg and Akshat in 43kg were the other winners from the state on Day 1. Goa's Laxman Toralkar was too good for Bihar's Jafruddin Yousuf Hasan whom he outclassed 5-0 in 35kg.

Rupesh Baid from the same state was equally impressive in his 5-0 win over Rajasthan's Saurabh Raghav in 43kg. Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh also did well.

Gulfham in 35kg and Md. Shafiulla in 43kg kept UP's hopes high, while HP's Rishav Thakur had to battle hard for a 3-2 win over S Kiran in 40kg. Madhya Pradesh too had a good start to the event through Virendra Panchal in 35kg and Kishan Dadoriya in 40kg.

Vedant Bengle of Maharashtra outpunched Tamil Nadu's D Kowshik on his way to a 5-0 win in 40kg. There were a few notable performances from the North-East too, which has long been a powerhouse of boxing.

Mizoram's Freddy Lalchhantluanga in 43kg and Assam's Prashnik Gogoi in 40kg were joined by Meghalaya's Pratik Boral in 40kg, Assam's Ohidur Rahman in 35kg and Arunachal's Kino Ramling in 35kg in the winners' section. The seven-day tournament that will pick out the best of India's rising boys pugilists, will conclude with the grand finale on July 8.