Vijay Kumar Yadav handed India its second medal on Day 4 of the Commonwealth Games 2022 as he beat Petros Christodoulides of Cyprus in men's 60kg judo tie to clinch bronze on Monday. It is India's second medal in judo at CWG 2022 after Shushila Devi bagged a silver earlier in the day, and one that took the country's medal tally to eight.
Vijay Kumar had begun his campaign on a winning note, beating Winsley Gangaya of Mauritius in the Round of 16 elimination match with a brilliant Ippon, but lost to Australia's Joshua Katz in the quarterfinal bout. However, he stayed alive in the contest by virtue of the Repechage round, where he defeated Scotland's Dylan Munro by Waza-Ari to give himself a chance of a podium finish.
Come the bronze medal match, it took Vijay Kumar less than a minute - 58 seconds to be precise - as he pinned his opponent. With the win, he joined Shushila as India's second judo medal winner at the ongoing Games. The other two judokas in action on Day 4, Suchika Tariyal and Jasleen Singh made it to the bronze medal matches but came out second best.
Vijay Kumar had earlier claimed a bronze medal at the Asian Open in Hong Kong 2018. The same year he won the Commonwealth Championships in Jaipur and completed an encore in Walsall 2019. A multiple Indian champion in seniors and juniors division, Vijay Kumar won a Lakshman state award in 2019. As cadet he won medals at Asian Cadet Championships and as senior he was fifth in 2017. Vijay Kumar had also bagged a bronze medal at the Asian Open in Hong Kong in 2019.
{{/usCountry}}Vijay Kumar had earlier claimed a bronze medal at the Asian Open in Hong Kong 2018. The same year he won the Commonwealth Championships in Jaipur and completed an encore in Walsall 2019. A multiple Indian champion in seniors and juniors division, Vijay Kumar won a Lakshman state award in 2019. As cadet he won medals at Asian Cadet Championships and as senior he was fifth in 2017. Vijay Kumar had also bagged a bronze medal at the Asian Open in Hong Kong in 2019.
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