By Martin Petty
TOKYO (Reuters) – Top seeds Buse Naz Cakiroglu and Busenaz Surmeneli got unanimous semi-final victories in the boxing contest on Wednesday to give Turkey a shot at its first-ever women’s Olympic boxing gold.
European champion Cakiroglu saw off towering Taiwanese Huang Hsiao-wen with a high-tempo, tactical performance, ducking Huang’s long jabs repeatedly before moving in swiftly on the counter.
Cakiroglu will meet 35-year-old Stoyka Zhelyazkova Krasteva of Bulgaria in Saturday’s flyweight gold-medal match after she emerged on top despite a spirited performance by quick-footed Japanese Tsukimi Namiki, which ended hopes of a second women’s boxing gold for the hosts.
“I am so, so happy but I am trying to stay focused on the final as we came here with one goal which was to win the gold medal,” Cakiroglu said. “The mission is not complete yet.”
Compatriot Surmeneli was lifted by a home-turf atmosphere at the Kokugikan arena in her welterweight semi-final, with a loud Turkish team contingent making its presence known, chanting and cheering her every move in her win over India’s Lovlina Borgohain.
Surmeneli will meet China’s Gu Hong China in Saturday’s welterweight final after her split-decision win over American Oshae Jones in an entertaining semi-final.
(Reporting by Martin Petty; editing by Clare Fallon)
