Ravinder reaches semifinals of U-23 World Wrestling Championship

Ravinder put up a commanding display to notch up a 12-1 win over Hungary’s Marcell Budai Kovacs in his opening U-23 World Wrestling Championship.

Ravinder is aiming for his first medal from the championship after losing in the semifinals in 2017.

Ravinder was the shining star for the Indian contingent on Day 2 of the UWW Under-23 World Championships 2019 as he made it to the semifinals of 61kg in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday. The 22-year-old put up a commanding display to notch up a 12-1 win over Hungary’s Marcell Budai Kovacs in his opening bout.

The Jhajjar grappler then continued his heroics against 2019 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Championships bronze medallist Dinislam Takhtarov and completed an 11-0 win to storm into the semifinals.

Ravinder is aiming for his first medal from the championship after losing in the semifinals in 2017.

Earlier in the day, Naveen was in action in 70kg repechage against Mongolia's Temuulen Enkhtuya, who edged past him 8-6. The biggest disappointment for the Indian squad was, however, the loss of Viky in 92kg.

Having won the silver at the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships and a bronze at the Junior World Championships this year, a lot was expected of him. But he fell in his opening bout in 92kg when Switzerland’s Samuel Scherrer dismissed him 7-1.

In 74kg, Gaurav Baliyan made a fantastic start against Oleksandr Vyshniak of Ukraine in the qualifiers, whom he blanked 11-0. His challenge, however, came to an end at the hands of Russia’s Razambek Zhamalov.

Sanjeet could not get past Russia’s Azamat Zakuev, falling 0-6 in the qualifying bout in 86kg. Aryan Pratap fought hard in 125kg but was eventually shown the door in a 3-4 loss to top seed Hovhannes Maghakyan of Armenia.

The the seven-day UWW U-23 World Championships 2019 is being streamed live on  www.wrestlingtv.in .