India’s Pooja Dhanda stunned World and Olympic Champion Helen Maroulis to set up Punjab Royals’ second straight title triumph at the Pro Wrestling League final on Friday. The 2013 and 2017 Commonwealth champion, Pooja, who had beaten Helen in the league stage too, repeated her feat in the sixth bout of the day that sealed Haryana Hammers’ fate.
“This is the best gift I could give to my country on Republic Day,” Pooja said after her sensational victory. “Saare jahan se acha Hindustan hamaara,” she added.
World Championship gold medallist Zurabi Iakobishvili showed his class in the next clash, to win 4-0 and clinch the championship for Punjab Royals 5-2 in front of a packed house.
Earlier, Anastasija Grigorjeva and Koumba Laroque had won two fights for the Royals while Vladimir Khinchegashvili and Khetik Tsabolov the other two for the Hammers to lock the nine-bout tie at 2-2 after four clashes.
Reigning Olympic champion Vladimir got the Hammers off to a winning start, scoring a comprehensive 4-0 victory over India’s Naveen Kumar in the 57-kg competition. Georgia’s Vladimir lived up to his reputation, dominating the opening period and racing to a healthy 4-0 lead straightaway. After the breather, he used all his skills and strength to ward off the Indian and comfortably defend his lead to put his team ahead early on.
The Royals drew level in the second bout, through 2017 World Championship bronze medalist Anastasija Grigorjeva. In an intense fight, she steamrolled India’s Sarita Mor 7-2 in the 62-kg women’s contest. Anastasija took an early 1-0 lead but Sarita jumped ahead to 2-1 with a smart move. Anastasija fought back to make it 2-2 by the break. She was on song thereafter, taking a 5-2 lead and wrapping up the bout 7-2.
The Hammers’ slipped into a 2-1 lead, with Khetik Tsabolov, the 2017 World Championship runner-up, taking down India’s Jitender Kinha 15-0 by technical superiority in the 74-kg competition. In the opening period, Khetik spent majority of the opening period getting a measure of Jitender and taking a slender 2-0 lead. In the second round, the Russian was at his ruthless best, blitzing his way to victory without breaking into sweat.
France’s Koumba then beat Pooja Sihag 7-0 to level the tie.
In the battle of super heavyweights, Punjab’s icon player Geno Petriashvili sent his side 3-2 up. The World Champion started off slowly but soon got into his groove to thrash India’s Sumit Malik 15-0. Geno cruised to a 11-0 lead in the opening round and comfortably won the bout to remain unbeaten through the entire league.
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