Asian Wrestling C'ships: Antim Panghal clinches silver, four others bag bronze

India have now won 11 medals in the ongoing tournament.

India won a total of five medals (one silver and four bronze) on day four at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 at the Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace in Astana, Kazakhstan. While young Antim Panghal clinched the silver medal, Anshu Malik (57KG), Sonam Malik (62KG), Manisha (65KG) and Reetika (72KG) added to India's medal tally with bronze medal wins.

Reigning U-20 World Championship gold medallist, Antim Panghal, started the medal spree by winning the silver medal after losing to 2021 World Championship gold medallist and defending champion Akari Fujinami (0-10) in the 53kg category.

World silver medallist, Anshu Malik, battled out to win the bronze medal (in 57kg) after suffering from an injury (in the semi-final clash against a Japanese wrestler). This was Anshu’s fourth medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships.

The 21-year-old got the better of Danielle Lim of Singapore (11-0) and China’s Qi Zhang (5-4) before getting beaten in the semifinals by Sae Nanjo of Japan (1-5). Anshu needed her coach's support to get off the mat but made a great comeback defeating Mongolian Erdenesuvd Bat Erdene 10-0 in the bronze medal match.

The next wrestler from the Indian contingent was Sonam Malik (62kg) who defeated 2022 World Championships bronze medallist Xiaojuan Luo (5-1) in the bronze medal playoff. Sonam started attacking from the start and was always on top of her game.

She lost a point due to passive play and received a yellow card at the fag end of the match. The 20-year-old lost to Orkhon Purevdorj from Mongolia (7-1) and then directly went on to play the bronze medal match (as the Mongolian progressed to the final).

26-year-old Manisha defeated Kazakhstan’s Albina Kairgeldinova ‘by fall’ in the bronze medal match (8-0). Manisha beat Baatarjav (2-1) and Jumabaeva (6-0) in the first two rounds before losing to China’s Jia Long (0-10). Manisha qualified for the semi-finals but lost to Japan’s Yoshitake (0-8). In her last attempt to medal, Manisha beat Kairgeldinova.

Reetika (72kg) was the last Indian wrestler to medal on day 4 beating Svetlana Oknazarova (5-1). Three Indian women wrestlers lost to their Japanese counterparts in the semi-finals of the Asian Wrestling Championships.