Indian boxer Vikas Krishan settled for a bronze medal after being forced to retire hurt in the 75kg semi-final bout of the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta on Friday.
The 26-year-old, who had suffered an eye injury in the first round quarter-final bout following the clash of heads, somehow battled his way to a victory against Tuoheta Erbieke Tanglatihan. The intense contest had however aggravated his injury, eventually leading him to be declared medically unfit for his semi-final bout against Amankul Abilkhan of Kazakhstan on Friday.
India’s leading middleweight boxer, Vikas had suffered a nasty cut above his left eye, which swelled big enough to rule him out of the semi-final contest denying the boxer a second Asian gold.
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After getting a bye in the semi-final Amankul will next meet the winner between Eumir Felix Marcial of Philippines or Israil Madrimov of Uzbekistan.
Vikas was, however, awarded the bronze medal which is given to all the participants who reach the semi-final in their respective events.
“There is an inflammation in the retina as well and it is too risky to let him fight. He will have to take a break for a few weeks,” an official from the Indian contingent was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India.
It, however, could not stop Vikas from becoming the first Indian boxer to clinch three successive Asian Games medal. He had earlier won the gold in the 60kg category at the 2010 Asiad in China, followed by a bronze in the middle-weight category four years later at Incheon.
Vikas is also a Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the 75kg category.
India has so far won 65 medals, which includes 13 gold, 23 silver, and 29 bronze medals. They had won 57 medals in the previous edition at Incheon in 2014.