New Delhi: Sujeet Kalkal could not repeat his Asian Games heroics against Abdulmazhid Kudiev, losing to the Tajikistan wrestler in the dying seconds of his 65kg quarter-final and crashing out of the World Championships in Astana. Sujeet emerged as one of the favourites for the 65kg title after winning the Asian Games gold beating some big names including Kudiev, against whom he overturned a 9-2 deficit to win the dramatic final 10-9.
In Astana, Sujeet met the familiar foe in Kudiev after a 4-0 win over Islam Guseinov of Belarus. Sujeet did well to lead 3-1 until 30 seconds remained on the clock. He went for an attack, but Kudiev countered to turn the tables, eventually winning the bout 3-3 on criteria after winning a challenge after the chair umpire initially awarded two points to Sujeet. That took Sujeet to 5-2 when Kudiev challenged.
The challenge was upheld and Sujeet’s two points for a take down were deducted. Simultaneously, Kudiev, who initially got a point for push out, was awarded two for a counter-attack. The scores were level at 3-3 and Kudiev won on criteria.
That was the end of the Indian who defended well in the first period and brought Kudiev down with a fast takedown to take the lead. Sujeet would not go for repechage rounds as Kudiev later lost to USA's Bowen Bassett in the semi-final.
All is not well between Shako and WFI?
Interestingly, India's freestyle coach Shako Emzarios Bentinidis was not in Sujeet's corner in Astana. He has not travelled with the team and it seems all is not well between Shako and the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
{{/usCountry}}Interestingly, India's freestyle coach Shako Emzarios Bentinidis was not in Sujeet's corner in Astana. He has not travelled with the team and it seems all is not well between Shako and the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
{{/usCountry}}Bentinidis, who took over the reins as India's freestyle coach in May, wanted to go with the team for the Worlds but WFI felt he should train the wrestlers in the national camp.
"We need to prepare our wrestlers for next year which is an LA Olympics qualification year. We also have to give opportunities to Indian coaches to take up responsibility," said a WFI official. Bentinidis, however, has now gone on leave. Freestyle coach Vinod Kumar is in Astana with the Indian team.
Under Bentinidis, India's freestyle team did exceptionally well at the Asian Games with Sujeet and Aman Sehrawat (57kg) winning gold medals in tough draws. His tactical inputs have come in handy. Sujeet was a different beast with his relentless attacks against Kudiev at the Asian Games. Bentinidis has told him that he has the attack to take more risk and put the opponent under pressure and the Indian did exactly that.
Sujeet, however, will have to wait for his first medal from the Worlds. Leading up to Thursday’s loss, Sujeet was undefeated in 14 matches this year, winning the Asian Championships and Asian Games gold medals and two international rankings series titles. Since the last Worlds, he has been on a 19-match winning streak in UWW events.
The quarter-final exit would hurt but he needs to come back stronger next year for the world championships in Las Vegas which will be an Olympic qualifier. The 65kg draw turned upside down with the loss of the top two seeds — world champion Rahman Amouzad of Iran and Asian Games champion Sujeet. Armenia's Vazgen Tevanyan shocked Amouzad 2-3 in the quarterfinal. He is in the final facing world U20 champion Bassett who emerged as the surprise of the pack with sensational victories against former world champion Abasgadzhi Magomedov of Russia (14-13) and Kudiev (12-2).
Manisha in final
Manisha Bhanwala kept the Indian flag flying high making it to the final in 59kg non-Olympic weight class. Manisha, who competed in the Asian Games in 57kg weight, was on a roll. She pinned Kazakhstan's Altyn Shagayeva in the semi-final after leading 10-0. She will meet Pan American champion Abigail Elizabeth Nette in the gold medal match on Friday.
Earlier Manisha beat Canada's Laurence Beauregard (6-2) and then Mongolia's Bolortuya Khurelkhuu (6-0) in the quarterfinals. No Indian woman has won gold at the Worlds.
Neelam Sirohi (50kg) and Kajal Dhochak (76kg) made it to the final in Astana, raising hopes but ended with silver. In 72kg weight class, Tanu won bronze, beating USA's Precious Rosanna Bell 9-5.
Manisha won the Asian Championships title last year after claiming bronze in three previous editions of the continental competition. She trains under coach Mandeep Singh at the Sir Chhotu Ram Akhara in Rohtak.
In the men's 97kg, Vicky lost the quarter-final to Japan's Arash Yoshida and will now compete in repechage where he will face Iran’s Hassan Yazdani.