Antim stopped at final hurdle by Fujinami, Anshu claims bronze

Astana, April 12

Young Indian wrestler Antim Panghal won silver in the 53kg category at the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships after losing to Japan’s Akari Fujinami, while four other Indian wrestlers clinched bronze medals here today.

Fujinami, the reigning world champion, made short work of Panghal, who was flawless in her run to the gold medal bout. The 19-year-old Japanese opened up a 4-0 lead before closing out the match inside the first round to emerge a 10-0 winner. It was always going to be a big ask for Panghal as Fujinami has hardly lost a bout since she started competing at the senior level in 2020.

Anshu Malik (57kg), Sonam Malik (62kg), Manisha (65kg) and Reetika (72kg) added to India’s medal count by winning their bronze medal bouts.

Panghal had displayed a brilliant counterattacking game and scored dominant wins over her rivals in her earlier bouts. The 18-year-old Panghal, who last year became the first Indian woman wrestler to become the U-20 world champion, did not concede a single point on the moves of her rivals.

The only point she lost was through a caution received in her semifinal against Uzbekistan’s Aktenge Keunimjaeva, whom she outclassed 8-1.

Panghal got on board with a takedown move that she initiated with a left leg attack. The Uzbek had the Indian in a headlock position a couple of times, but on both occasions Panghal not only wriggled out with consummate ease, she also employed counterattacks at a lightening pace to keep extending her lead. Panghal had begun her campaign with a dominating win by fall against Singaporean Hsiao Ping Alvina Lim and followed up with a 6-0 victory in the quarterfinals against China’s Li Deng.

In the 57kg class, much was expected from the talented Anshu Malik but the 2021 World Championships silver medallist struggled to score against Nanjo, the reigning U-23 world champion.

Much of the bout bordered on passivity. The only highlight was a powerful lock from Nanjo in the second period which left Malik grimacing in pain and tapping the mat, pleading the Japanese to unlock her left leg as she emerged a 5-1 winner.

On the other hand, Sonam, who had lost in the quarterfinal to Orkhon Purevdorj, bounced back into the competition after the Mongolian reached the final. She notched up a 5-1 win over China’s Xiaojuan Luo in her bronze medal bout. Reetika too won be a similar margin against Uzbek Svetlana Oknazarova, while Manisha recorded a victory by fall win over Albina Kairgeldinova of Kazakhstan.