Boxer Mary Kom in World Championship final

Boxer Mary Kom in World Championship final

M C Mary Kom continued her chase for a historic fifth successive World Championship gold by becoming the only Indian boxer to enter the finals of the event with a thumping win in the last-four stage here.

Mary Kom (48kg) defeated Alice Kate Aparri of Philippines 8-1 in the semifinals to assure herself of at least a silver in the sixth edition of the event.

The former Khel Ratna awardee will now face old rival Steluta Duta of Romania who defeated Kazakhstan's Nazgul Boranbayeva 10-5.

"I am very happy to have come so far. I will do my best to win a gold even this time but I am not thinking too much about it because I need to focus on my game. If I fight well, I will win," the diminutive 27-year-old, who clinched a silver in the inaugural edition and hasn't settled for anything less then a gold ever since, told PTI.

In Friday's bout, Mary Kom was slow off the blocks and was in fact down 0-1 in the first round.

"I did not attack much in the opening round. I was just observing her. I needed to be patient before going for all-out attack," she said.

"I wouldn't say it was a very easy bout but it was not too tough either. I covered up the points in the third round. I am confident about myself and that helps," Mary Kom said.

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Button back on his way to bounce

Button back on his way to bounce

Jenson Button is determined to put himself back into the world championship race at Monza after his disappointment in Belgium.

The reigning champion lost ground to his main rivals, Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber, as they finished first and second in the Belgian GP while Button retired from the race after being taken out by Sebastian Vettel.

As a result, the Briton now trails his team-mate by 35 points in the drivers' championship. But, with 150 points still to race for, Button is by no means out of the running and hopes to prove that at next weekend's Italian GP.

"Obviously, my non-finish in Spa wasn't ideal for my championship aspirations, so I head to Monza next weekend determined to put myself back in the hunt for the title," he said.

"Our pace over the whole weekend in Belgium was extremely encouraging - we're developing the car at a very rapid rate, and we're learning more about it all the time, so I'm optimistic that we'll be able to maintain that form in Italy next weekend.

"We still have some work to do to make sure the package we bring to Italy is perfectly suited to the track, but I'm confident that our engineers have made some good steps forward with their understanding of our car, so we should be in good shape.

"I love racing at Monza - it's a totally unique experience; running minimal downforce at incredible speeds along the straights, and then coping with the lack of grip, and an extremely skittish car, through the low-speed stuff.

"Given the competitiveness at the front of the field, this could be an intense, thrilling grand prix."

Jenson Button is determined to put himself back into the world championship race at Monza after his disappointment in Belgium.

The reigning champion lost ground to his main rivals, Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber, as they finished first and second in the Belgian GP while Button retired from the race after being taken out by Sebastian Vettel.

As a result, the Briton now trails his team-mate by 35 points in the drivers' championship. But, with 150 points still to race for, Button is by no means out of the running and hopes to prove that at next weekend's Italian GP.

"Obviously, my non-finish in Spa wasn't ideal for my championship aspirations, so I head to Monza next weekend determined to put myself back in the hunt for the title," he said.

"Our pace over the whole weekend in Belgium was extremely encouraging - we're developing the car at a very rapid rate, and we're learning more about it all the time, so I'm optimistic that we'll be able to maintain that form in Italy next weekend.

"We still have some work to do to make sure the package we bring to Italy is perfectly suited to the track, but I'm confident that our engineers have made some good steps forward with their understanding of our car, so we should be in good shape.

"I love racing at Monza - it's a totally unique experience; running minimal downforce at incredible speeds along the straights, and then coping with the lack of grip, and an extremely skittish car, through the low-speed stuff.

"Given the competitiveness at the front of the field, this could be an intense, thrilling grand prix."

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