Aman, Antim Storm Into Asian Games Wrestling Finals
Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal storm into wrestling finals at the Asian Games, while Deepak Punia and Sagar Jaglan fight for bronze.
India’s wrestling campaign reached a fever pitch at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal secured their spots in the finals of their respective categories. The duo's incredible performances on Saturday have handed India two golden opportunities in the men's freestyle 57 kg and women's 53 kg divisions.
Stunning Comebacks Secure Final Spots
Aman Sehrawat showcased immense resilience in a high-stakes semifinal against Kyrgyzstan's Aiaal Belolyubskii. After falling behind 2-6 in the opening round, Aman staged a spectacular recovery, scoring 12 points in the second round to clinch a 14-8 victory. This follows his dominant run through the tournament, which included a 20-0 shutout of Japan's Yamato Ogawa and a 12-1 win over Kazakhstan's Nurdanat Aitanov.
Similarly, Antim Panghal demonstrated grit to overcome China's Zhang Jin. Facing a 0-1 defeat, the Indian wrestler turned the tide in the second round, surging to a 6-1 lead to book her place in the women's 53 kg final. Antim's earlier matches were equally commanding, featuring an 8-0 victory over Uzbekistan's Sakibjamal Esbosynova.
Bronze Medal Battles Loom for Deepak and Sagar
While the gold medal hopes remain high, some Indian wrestlers will now pivot to the battle for bronze:
- Deepak Punia: After a heartbreaking 8-9 loss to Uzbekistan's Sherzod Poyonov in the men's freestyle 97 kg semifinals, Deepak will now compete for a bronze medal.
- Sagar Jaglan: Despite a heavy 0-10 defeat to Iran's Yones Emamichoghaei in the quarterfinals, Sagar fought back through the repechage, defeating Uzbekistan's Razambek Jamalov 7-3 to earn a shot at the bronze in the 74 kg category.
The medal bouts are scheduled to take place during the afternoon session, starting around 2:30 PM IST.
Archery: Dhiraj Bommadevara Eyes Individual Gold
In addition to the wrestling triumphs, India's Dhiraj Bommadevara has surged into the men's individual recurve semifinals. In a nail-biting quarterfinal against Amirkhon Sadikov, the top-seeded Indian secured a 6-2 victory, clinching the win with a precise 10 on his final arrow. Dhiraj is now just one win away from securing an individual medal at the Games.
Meanwhile, in the women's 57 kg category, Manisha Bhanwala's journey ended in the quarterfinals following a loss to Japan's Akari Fujinami. Despite Manisha's strong start with an 8-0 win over South Korea's Youngjin Kwon, she was unable to progress further as Fujinami was subsequently knocked out by North Korea's Son Il Sim.