E-Paper
Asian Wrestling: Antim bags silver as India's medal count swells
While five Indian women reached the medal round on Wednesday, only Panghal (53kg) progressed to the final where she lost to Akari Fujinami of Japan.
Antim Panghal finished with silver and Anshu Malik claimed bronze as medals continued to pour for India on the fourth day of the Asian Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
While five Indian wrestlers reached the medal round on Wednesday, only Panghal (53kg) reached the final, where she lost to favourite and defending champion Akari Fujinami of Japan. Coming into the Asian meet on the back of a 116-match unbeaten streak, the 19-year-old Japanese breezed past Chinese Taipei's Meng Hsieh (11-0) in the quarterfinals and entered the final with a 10-0 takedown of Tokyo bronze medallist Bolortuya Bat Ochir of Mongolia.
Panghal, the world junior champion (U-20) similarly dominated her half of the field, not conceding a single point on the moves of her rivals. The only point she lost was through a caution in the semi-final against Uzbekistan’s Aktenge Keunimjaeva, who she beat 8-1.
The 18-year-old had begun her campaign with a win by fall against Singapore's Hsiao Ping Alvina Lim, followed by a 6-0 quarterfinal win against China’s Li Deng.
The final though turned out to be an entirely different proposition for Panghal, who was outclassed 10-0 by Fujinami in the first period itself.
In 57kg, 2021 world championships silver medallist Anshu Malik lost the semi-final to Japan's Sae Nanjo 5-1. Malik and Nanjo were tied 1-1 in the second period before the latter effected a single-leg takedown that awkwardly twisted Malik's left knee, leaving her writhing in pain. The bout was stopped for an injury break and Nanjo completed the win after resumption.
In the bronze play-off, Anshu beat Mongolia’s Erdenesuvd bat Erdene 10-0.
This was Anshu’s second loss to Nanjo, the earlier 10-0 reverse having come in the 2018 Junior world championships semifinals.
In 62kg, Sonam Malik beat China's Xiaojuan Luo 5-1 in the bronze medal bout. Sonam had lost her opening bout to Mongolia's Orkhon Purevdorj 7-1 but went into repechage after Purevdorj reached the final. Likewise, Manisha (65kg) took advantage of the repechage route, beating Kazakhstan’s Albina Kairgeldinova by fall (8-0). Manisha earlier beat Shoovdor Baatarjav of Mongolia and Uzbekistan's Ariukhan Jumabaeva before losing to eventual winner, China’s Jia Long.
Reetika Hooda (72kg) rounded off the day with a bronze, beating Uzbekistan's Svetlana Oknazarova 5-1. Indian women ended the competition with seven medals (2 silver, 5 bronze). Nisha Dahiya (68kg) and Priya (76kg) won silver and bronze on Tuesday. Greco-Roman wrestlers had won four medals – one silver and three bronze.
