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Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Jaismine Lamboria has taken a significant step towards securing an Olympic quota for India at the World Olympic Boxing Qualifier in Bangkok, Thailand. The 22-year-old, who dropped down from 60kg, dominated Ana Marija Milisic of Switzerland in the round of 16, winning by a unanimous decision (5-0) in the 57kg weight class.With four quota places available in the women's 57kg category, Lamboria needs to win her quarterfinal on Sunday to book her ticket to the Paris Games and reclaim the quota for India. Parveen Hooda had initially secured the quota at the 2023 Asian Games, but her suspension for whereabouts failure forced India to surrender it.Lamboria, who had competed in the Asian Games and the first World qualifiers in 60kg, was allowed to participate in the 57kg event as a reserve. The bout against Milisic started cautiously, but Lamboria soon showcased her technical superiority, repeatedly jabbing her opponent.Despite Milisic's attempts to retaliate, Lamboria maintained distance with her long reach. She unleashed a combination of punches on a helpless Milisic, forcing the referee to give the Swiss a standing count. The bout resumed, but the outcome was clear.In the men's 57kg, former youth world champion Sachin Siwach fought valiantly but lost 0-5 to Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Carlo Paalam of the Philippines in the semifinals. However, Siwach will have another chance to secure an Olympic berth as the 57kg category offers three quotas. The two losing semifinalists will face off in a box-off on Sunday for the remaining quota.Nishant Dev (71kg), Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) have already secured their passage to Paris.

Jaismine Lamboria to Represent India in Olympic Boxing Qualifiers After Parveen Hooda's SuspensionIndia's hopes of fielding a full contingent of boxers at the Paris Olympics have suffered a setback with the suspension of Parveen Hooda, the quota holder in the women's 57kg category. As a result, Jaismine Lamboria will now compete in the second Olympic boxing qualifiers in Thailand, which begin on May 24.Hooda's suspension stems from three whereabouts failures in a 12-month period, a violation of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules. The International Testing Agency (ITA) has imposed a 22-month suspension on the boxer, which has been backdated to Friday. This means Hooda will serve a 14-month suspension, effectively ending her Olympic hopes.Lamboria, who previously competed in the 60kg category, will now represent India in the 57kg division at the qualifiers. She has a strong track record, having won a bronze medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and competing in the first Olympic qualifiers and the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.The loss of the 57kg quota is a significant blow to Indian boxing, which has already secured three Olympic quotas through Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti (54kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg). The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) expressed disappointment over Hooda's suspension, calling it an "unprecedented embarrassment."In boxing, Olympic quotas are awarded to countries, not individual athletes. Therefore, India has lost the quota in the 57kg category, and Lamboria will be competing for a new quota in Thailand.Lamboria's performance at the qualifiers will be crucial for India's hopes of fielding a strong boxing contingent at the Paris Olympics. The qualifiers will feature boxers from around the world, and only the top finishers in each weight category will earn Olympic berths.