(MAR 29)  The 2016 Asian/Oceanian Olympic qualifying tournament opened in Qianan, China with but few surprises in the opening sessions of either men’s or women’s preliminaries.

Disappointment though for Australia’s Kristy Harris in the women’s 51kg class, going under 3:0 to Thailand’s Peamwilai Laopeam. Defeat too for leading Indian 75kg fighter Pooja Rani a narrow 2:1 spilt decision against  Tajikistani Shoira Zulkaynarova. So here courtesy of the ASBC and AIBA we take a look at a few of the highlights, thus far, from China.

Women's Flyweight class (51 kg):

India's five-time AIBA Women's World Champion Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte and Kazakhstan's AIBA Women's World Champion Nazym Kyzaybay had a ‘battle royal’ in the opening round of the 51kg weight class which would have graced any final. The Indian had to be at her very best to beat Kazakhstan's top woman athlete who moved up to the Flyweight division only last year.

The Indian great was in top form in the first three rounds and in spite of the Kazakh’s efforts in the final two minutes Mary Kom advanced with confidence to the quarter finals albeit courtesy of a 2:1 split verdict.

China's three-time AIBA Women's World Champion Ren Cancan faced a tough opponent in her opening preliminary battle as she had to meet with Japan's AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Madoka Wada in Qianan. The host nation’s London 2012 Olympic Games silver medallist emerged victorious and secured her place in the last eight.

Women's Lightweight class (60 kg):

India's former AIBA Women's World Champion Sarita Devi Laishram returned to the world of boxing after her suspension but it was the veteran boxer who found her form quickest and controlled at least three rounds against Japan's Tomoko Kugimiya on Day 3.

Vietnam's Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Luu Thi Duyen used her longer reach to eliminate New Zealand's London 2012 Olympian Alexis Pritchard-Todd in another important contest of the 60 kg category.

China’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games winner Yin Junhua has high hopes in the Women’s Lightweight class (60 kg) and she successfully delivered against PRK Korea’s ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships silver medallist Tong Sun Ri in front of the delighted crowd of Qianan.

Tajikistan’s London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist 23-year-old Mavzuna Chorieva proved she was almost back to her best against Afghanistan’s Diana Nadim who trains in Denmark but it was a comfortable margin (3:0) in Chorieva’s favour when the final bell tolled.

Thailand’s defending ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Tassamalee Thongjan had to be at her very best to eliminate Uzbekistan’s Youth National Champion 18-year-old Maftunakhon Melieva a late replacement for Makhfuzakhon Ergasheva just before the start of the competition.

Women’s Middleweight class: (75 kg):

Kazakhstan’s defending ASBC Asian Women’s Champion experienced Dariga Shakimova knocked down her Korean opponent 20-year-old Kim Shin Hyeong twice in the bout therefore dominating her opening bout in Qianan where her next rival will be Erdenetuya Enkhbaatar in the quarter-finals.

Chinese Taipei’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion and Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Chen Nien Chin was outstanding against another youngster New Zealand’s Deanne Carpenter in this category but,as we said at the outset, the main surprise was delivered by Tajikistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships bronze medallist Shoira Zulkaynarova who eliminated strong favourite India’s Pooja Rani in the first preliminary round.

The no.1 seeds are : Mary Kom ( 51kg), Junhua Yin(60kg) and Ian LI(75kg) but some young up and coming stars also in action so don’t rule out surprises, Australian Caitlin-Anne Parker being just one of many to ‘watch out’ for.

More from China as the event reaches the business end of the competition. Join us then here on WBAN.

All the results to date, (male and female) courtesy Strefa Poland Boxing :  Link

Tuesday’s Quarter-Finals schedule: Link