New Delhi: Antim Panghal bagged a bronze medal on Thursday to ensure that India won’t return empty-handed from the World Wrestling Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.
Barring Antim, all Indian wrestlers have disappointed at the top event with Aman Sehrawat’s shock disqualification raising question marks on preparation.
But Antim out a balm on those wounds with her second Worlds medal, after her broze in the 2023 edition.
The 21-year-old was beaten in the first round at Paris Olympics and then deported from breaking Games Village protocols.
But on Thursday she dominated U-23 world champion Emma Jonna Denise Malmgren 9-1 in the bronze medal play-off.
Antim raced to a 3-0 ahead at the end first of period and lead 5-0 with 35 seconds left of the contest. Then she put it beyond her opponent with a four pointer.
Two-time U-20 champion in 2022 and 2023, Antim has smoothly transited from junior to senior level as is comfortable in the 53kg category.
She has got two bronze at senior World Championship, one bronze at Asian Games, a silver and bronze at Asian Championships, apart from two gold at Grand Prix level events.
Vinesh Phogat has won two Worlds medal while Alka Tomar, Geeta Phogat, Babita Phogat, Pooja Dhanda, Sarita Mor and Anshu Malik all have won one each.
Manisha Bhanwala lost out on a bronze medal as she lost 0-9 to Bulgaria’s Bilyana Dudova in the repechage round.
Greco Roman wrestlers flop
None of the four Greco Roman wrestlers won on Thursday, even struggling to make even one scoring move.
Anil Mor lost in only 13 seconds in the 55kg weight class against world number one Eldaniz Azizli from Azerbaijan.
Azizli got him into a head lock position and flipped him multiple times to end the bout in a flash and then lost in the semi-final, to end repechage hopes of Anil.
Aman lost his first round by technical superiority to Nao Kusaka in the 77kg but progressed to the repechage round against Ukraine’s Ihor Bychkov as the Japanese reached the final.
Rahul went down 1-7 to Kazakshtan’s Almir Tolebayev in the 82kg, though he was the only Indian to battle for the full six minutes on the mat.
Sonu was outwrestled 0-8 by Croatia’s Marko Koscevic in the 130kg category while Almir and Sonu were eliminated as their vanquishers couldn’t advance to make the gold medal bout.