Asian Games 2023: Antim Panghal lives up to the hype after grabbing bronze; India wins second wrestling medal

She was also the only medallist on the second day of the wrestling competition, with three of the other four in medal contention faltering at the end.

FILE PHOTO: Wrestler Antim Panghal during the 2023 U-20 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. | Photo Credit: PTI

Antim Panghal went into the Asian Games as one of India’s biggest medal hopefuls, and she fulfilled the hype, winning bronze in the 53kg for only India’s second medal in wrestling here on Thursday. She was also the only medallist on the second day of the wrestling competition, with three of the other four in medal contention faltering at the end.

While the two-time Junior World Champion is undoubtedly the best among the upcoming talents in the country, there was always a doubt about her going for gold ever since the draw for the competition here came out. With Japan’s girl-wonder Akari Fujiami in her half of the draw and the two scheduled to face off in the quarterfinals, there was only an outside chance of a medal.

And the bouts progressed on the expected lines. Antim won her opening bout against Jasmina Immaeva of Uzbekistan by technical superiority 11-0 before being pinned by Akari in the quarterfinals in under two minutes while the Japanese 19-year-old was leading 6-0.

That win stretched Akari’s winning streak to an incredible 128 matches – which remains unbeaten as she went on to win 10-0 against 2020 Olympic silver medalist and local favourite Qianyu Pang in the final. With a walkover in the first repechage round, Antim only had to win one bout to secure a medal, and she duly obliged, defeating Bolortuya Bat-Ochir 3-1.

“Fujinami is a very good wrestler and is considered an Olympic contender. I can assure you I will go back, work even harder and do better the next time,” Antim insisted. “It feels good to get a bronze medal. I was determined to not go back empty-handed.

The Mongolian opponent is also very good but I had confidence from the bronze at the World Championships only 10 days back. Also, my opponent for bronze here had earlier lost to the same opponent whom I had defeated 16-6 for a medal there. So I was confident I will do well here,” she added.

Up next will be the Under-23 World Championships, for which trials are likely soon. “Let’s see, if they give me enough time to prepare I will give those trials also. But for now, I am happy with this,” she said.

In the 53kg, Pooja Gehlot lost to Japan’s eventual champion Remina Yoshimoto 10-0 in the semifinals before going down 9-2 to Uzbekistan’s Aktenge Keunimjaeva in the bronze-medal bout. Mansi in the 57kg also lost to Japan’s former world champion Tsugumi Sakurai in the quarterfinal but was pinned by Laylokhon Sobirova of Uzbekistan for the bronze.

Among the men, Narinder Cheema lost in the 97kg Greco-Roman quarterfinals to be out of the medal race, and Naveen went down to Minseok Kim of South Korea 5-1 in the 130kg category.