Asian Wrestling Championship: Sakshi settles for silver, three other Indian girls bag bronze on Day 4

Sakshi Malik (65Kg) won the silver medal for India while Vinesh Phogat(53Kg), Anshu(57Kg) and Gursharan Preet Kaur(72Kg) bagged a Bronze medal each. Five Indian women grapplers took to the mat in the medal session of the Asian Wrestling Championship on Friday.

Rio Olympic Bronze medallist, Sakshi Malik(65Kg) put up a resilient fight against Japan’s Naomi Ruike in her Gold medal bout which went down to the wire but it was the Japanese grappler who prevailed by a narrow margin of 2-0. Sakshi bettered her performance from a Bronze medal last year to a Silver medal this year of the Asian Championships.

Speaking after the game, Sakshi said, “ I played better against her in the final than during the group stage. I tried in the end but couldn't capitalize”

Commonwealth and Asian Games Gold medallist, Vinesh Phogat(53Kg) had to settle for a Bronze medal tonight defeating 2019 SouthEast Asian Games Gold medallist Thi Ly Kieu of Vietnam by a scoreline of 10-0.

“I'm striving hard to keep improving as there is no end to bettering oneself. I think I'm getting better. I have lost twice before against her without getting on the board. Today's bout was better. These things take time but I'm confident of improving,” said Vinesh.

Anshu Malik(57Kg) ensured a podium finish from her first Asian Championship winning a Bronze medal defeating Uzbekistan’s Sevara Eshmuratova with a scoreline of 4-1 in a match that went the distance.

In the 62Kg category, India’s Sonam had to face disappointment as she lost her Bronze medal bout to World No 1 and 2019 World Champion Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan by 0-11.

In the last Bronze medal bout for team India, Gursharan Preet Kaur(72Kg) capped off an eventful night by successfully overcoming Mongolia’s Tsevegmed Enkhbayar by 5-2.

Medal Fights for all 5 Indian Women’s on Day 4 of Asian Wrestling Championships 2020:

53Kg – Bronze – Vinesh Phogat (IND) def Thi Ly KIEU (VIE) 10-0

57Kg – Bronze – Anshu (IND) def Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB) 4-1

62Kg – Bronze – Sonam (IND) lost to Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) 0-11

65Kg- Gold- Sakshi (IND) lost to Naomi Ruike (JPN) 0-2

72Kg- Bronze- Gursharan Preet Kaur(IND) def Tsevegmed Enkhbayar (MGL) 5-2

Source: Press Release