Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Antim Panghal became the first Indian woman wrestler after Vinesh Phogat to win multiple medals in the Senior World Wrestling Championships. Antim, competing in the 53 kg weight category, secured the bronze medal in Zagreb on September 18. She achieved this remarkable feat by defeating her Swedish opponent with a commanding score of 9–1 in the bronze medal bout.
Antim had also won bronze in the 2023 edition of the World Championships at Belgrade and had beaten the very same opponent 16-6 via technical superiority to land on the podium two years back. Women’s wrestlers from India have now won at least one medal at the last three editions of the World Wrestling Championships. Antim Panghal began her campaign with a dominant 10-0 victory by technical superiority against Spain’s Carla Jaume Soler in the pre-quarterfinals.
The Indian wrestler then edged past the People’s Republic of China’s Zhang Jin 9-8 in a tense quarter-final before falling 5-3 to Paris 2024 silver medallist Lucía Yépez of Ecuador in the semis. Meanwhile, Asian champion Manisha Bhanwala missed out on a chance to qualify for the bronze medal match in the 62kg women’s freestyle after losing 9-0 to Bulgaria’s Bilyana Dudova in her repechage round.
Elsewhere, India’s Greco-Roman wrestlers continued to struggle, with none of the four grapplers winning their respective bouts. Competing in the pre-quarterfinals, Anil Mor, who was a part of the 55kg weight class, lost 8-0 to four-time world champion and current world No. 1 Eldaniz Azizli of Azerbaijan. The 77kg category saw India’s Aman lose 8-0 via technical superiority to Olympic champion Nao Kusaka of Japan in the round of 32.
