London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Mary Kom of India has today progressed through to the light flyweight semi-finals at the Asian Women's Boxing Championships ©Getty Images

London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Mary Kom of India has today progressed through to the light flyweight semi-finals at the Asian Women's Boxing Championships in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, courtesy of a split-decision win over Chinese Taipei's Meng-Chieh Pin.

Kom, a five-time world champion and four-time Asian Championships winner, triumphed 4-1 on points at the Nguyen Du Indoor Stadium.

Victory ensures the Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP), who missed out on qualification for last year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, a first medal in more than a year.

"It feels wonderful to get my sixth medal at this Championship," Kom, a silver medallist at the continental event in 2008, told the Press Trust of India.

"It hasn’t been easy for me, but God has been kind to ensure that I have managed to perform.

"This is my first medal in more than a year and the first after I became an MP.

"It really does mean a lot to me given that I juggle so many roles.

"I am simply ecstatic right now but I have two more fights to go before I get what I truly desire, a gold medal."

Awaiting Kom in the penultimate round is Japan’s Tsubasa Komura, who stopped opponent Athwuda Achchilage Kosala Nilmini of Sri Lanka in the second round of their contest.

Vietnam's Bang Le Thi is through to the bantamweight semi-finals ©Getty Images
Vietnam's Bang Le Thi is through to the bantamweight semi-finals ©Getty Images

Other Indian fighters securing their place in the semi-finals today were bantamweight Shiksha and lightweight Priyanka Chauhdary. 

Shiksha beat Uzbekistan’s Ferangiz Khoshimova 5-0, while Chauhdary defeated Sri Lanka’s Dulanjani Lankapurayalage by the same scoreline.

North Korea also had a successful day with all three of their fighters picking up wins.

Lightweight Choe Hye Song overcame Thailand’s Saoto Ratchadaporn Dulani Anura 5-0 and there were also unanimous points victories for light flyweight Kim Hyang Mi and bantamweight Kim Song Sim at the expense of Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova and Singapore’s Efasha Kamarudin respectively.

Bantamweight Bang Le Thi was one of two victors for hosts Vietnam today, beating China’s Liu Piaopiao 5-0.

Lightweight Luu Thi Duyen also delighted the home crowd by claiming a unanimous points win over Kyrgyzstan’s Farida Pupova.

Action in Ho Chi Minh City is due to continue tomorrow.

The competition is the eighth edition of the event first held in Thailand's capital Bangkok in 2001.

Chinese city Wulanchabu played host in 2015.