Junior Wrestling World Championships: India's hunt for gold continues as Sanju Devi, Bhateri collect silver

Ufa, Russia: A gold medal remained elusive for India at the Junior World Wrestling Championships as both Bhateri (65kg) and Sanju Devi (62kg) lost their respective finals rather tamely while Saneh (72kg) was stretchered out of the mat after enduring a knee injury in the bronze play-off in Ufa, Russia on Friday. Sanju had managed comeback wins in her previous bouts but Friday was not her day as Russia’s Alina Kasabieva took the gold with a technical superiority win. Kasabieva first effected a take down move and then got a two-point throw. There was still hope but once the Russian got hold of Sanju’s leg and got the desired grip to execute ‘fitley’, there was no chance for the Indian to come back. The match was over inside the first period. Bhateri also failed to put up a fight and lost the 65kg final by technical superiority to Moldova’s Itina Ringaci. Bhateri’s strategy to play a waiting game proved to be a mistake as she hardly attacked.

#TeamIndia at Junior World Wrestling Championships, 2021

Women Wrestling
🥈 #62Kg 🇮🇳SANJU
🥈 #65Kg 🇮🇳BHATERI

Many congratulations!#WrestleUfa#IndianSports pic.twitter.com/I9uuErjhQF

— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) August 20, 2021

Bipasha (76kg) had won a silver while Simran (50kg) and Sito (55kg) won bronze medals on Thursday. The Indian women ended with five medals — three silver and two bronze —in the tournament. The Indian women secured third position in the overall table with 134 points as Russia, despite the same number of points, got the second position by virtue of winning two gold medals. The United States of America finished on top with 143 points. The men’s freestyle wrestlers had won six medals with one silvers and five bronze. India’s Greco Roman wrestlers, though, yet again struggled as none of the five in action on Friday could make the semi-finals.