Federation Cup: Babli makes remarkable comeback and wins women’s 55kg gold

Hailing from Haryana, the 23-year-old Babli, who took to wrestling about four-and-a-half years ago, recorded a 15-8 win in the title clash and bagged her first significant medal.

Haryana’s Babli in the gold medal match against Manshi Yadav. | Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA/ The Hindu

Babli made a remarkable comeback to beat Manshi Yadav in the women’s 55kg final and secured her maiden gold medal at the elite level in the Federation Cup wrestling tournament at the Maharaja Vibhuti Narain Indoor Stadium here on Thursday.

Hailing from Yamunanagar district in Haryana, the 23-year-old Babli, who took to wrestling about four-and-a-half years ago, recorded a 15-8 win in the title clash and bagged her first significant medal.

Trailing 6-2, Babli cashed in on an opportunity to apply a leg lace and level the scores at the break.

Backed by her coach Amit Kumar, a fitter Babli grabbed another four points to extend her lead. Against her opponent’s weak attacks, Babli employed quick counters to gather more points and emerge as the winner.

Nineteen-year-old Madhuri Patel from Khandwa erased a five point deficit in the second period to beat Gunjan Sharma 8-7 in the women’s 50kg final and win her maiden gold.

The medallists (women):

50kg: 1. Madhuri Patel (MP), 2. Gunjan Sharma (Chd), 3. Chanchal Sirohi (UP), Rimpa Kumari (Jha); 53kg: 1. Shivani Sharma (MP), 2. Kirti (Har), 3. Sheetal (Del), Juli (UP); 55kg: 1. Babli (Har), 2. Manshi Yadav (UP), 3. Aishwarya Karigar (Kar), Deeksha (Raj); 57kg: 1. Neha (Del), 2. Sandhya Pal (UP), 3. Nisha Saini (Raj), Shilpa (Har); 59kg: 1. Nitika (Har), 2. Pooja Yadav (UP), 3. Akansha (Mah), Unnati Rathore (Del); 62kg: 1. Renchi (Har), 2. Pooja Tomar (UP), 3. Payal Patel (MP), Shrushti (Mah); 65kg: 1. Freedom Yadav (UP), 2. Manju (Del), 3. Sujatha Patil (Kar), Juhi Kumari (Bih); 68kg: 1. Sarika (Har), 2. Sumitra (Del), 3. Deepika Nain (Chd), Maya Mali (Raj); 72kg: 1. Srishti (Del), 2. Reshma (Mah), 3. Pathan Sandfar (Guj), Tanu (Raj); 76kg: 1. Bipasha (Del), 2. Ankit Shekhawat (Raj), 3. Jaspreet Kaur (Pun), Pranjal Sonkar (MP).