Devendro Singh Goes down Fighting; India's Medal Hope in Boxing Ends

Day 10 of the London Olympics was a forgettable day for India with medal hopeful Devendro Singh losing to Paddy Barnes of Ireland in the quarter final bout on Wednesday night, just a few hours after five-time world champion MC Mary Kom settled for bronze.

The 20-year-old dynamo from Manipur went down fighting, losing 23-18 to 25-year-old Irish who won bronze medal at 2008 Beijing Olympics. And this defeat ends India's boxing campaign at the London Olympics.

Devendro, who beat Beijing Olympics silver medalist Serdamba Purevdorj of Mongolia on his way to the quarter final, had a bad start. He conceded 7-5 to his taller opponent, and then 10-5 after two point deduction for a foul. He tried to fight back in the third and final round with a fury of punches and managed to score 8-6 but failed to make up for the points he conceded in the previous rounds.

A win in the quarter final bout would have guaranteed him at least a bronze medal.

Mary Kom settled for bronze medal, losing to Nicola Adams of Great Britain 11-6 in the semi final bout of the 51 kg category on Wednesday evening.

The 29-year-old mother of five-year-old twins and the lone Indian to participate in the first women's boxing in the Olympics, got bronze for her quarter final win over Maroua Rahali of Tunisia on Monday, becoming the third Indian woman after Karnam Malleswari and Saina Nehwal to win an Olympic medal.

India's medal tally stands at four with a silver from Vijay Kumar (shooting) and three bronze medals from Mary Kom (boxing), Gagan Narang (shooting) and Saina Nehwal (badminton).