U23 Asia C'ships: Mansi, Kajal, and Sumit strike gold as Indian grapplers add eight medals on day two
New Delhi, May 24
India's stellar run continued at the U23 Asian Championships as Mansi Lather, Kajal, and Sumit clinched gold medals to headline a dominant showing on the second day of the competition at the Tien Son Sport Center in Da Nang, Vietnam, on Sunday.
Mansi put up a dominant display in the 68kg gold medal bout, registering a comprehensive 14-1 win over Uzbekistan's Firuza Esenbaeva. Kajal was equally impressive in the 76kg final, blanking Kyrgyzstan's Aizharkyn Zhanybekova 10-0, while Greco-Roman grappler Sumit secured the 63kg title with a 12-2 victory over Uzbekistan's Ozodbek Khalilboev.
Alongside the three gold medals, the Indian contingent also secured two silver and three bronze medals. Sweety fought hard in her final but narrowly went down 5-7 against Vietnam's Ngoc L. Do to settle for the silver medal. Neha also put up a spirited fight in the 59kg title clash before suffering a 9-5 defeat at the hands of Uzbekistan's Laylokhon Sobirova, bringing home India's second silver of the day.
"Our young wrestlers have done us exceptionally proud today with their phenomenal performances on the mat. Winning gold and adding so many medals at a prestigious continental event shows the depth, determination, and discipline of Indian wrestling. I extend my heartiest congratulations to Mansi, Kajal, Sumit, Sweety, Neha, Ahilya, Neeraj, and Rohit for their medals. Their hard work has paid off, and I hope the rest of the team continues this positive momentum in the upcoming bouts," said Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh.
Meanwhile, Ahilya S. Shinde was impressive in her bronze medal playoff, securing a comprehensive 13-2 win over Kyrgyzstan's Arruke Kadyrbek Kyzy. In the Greco-Roman category that carried over from the opening day, Neeraj Patel showcased brilliant technique in his 55kg match, blanking Kazakhstan's Rauan Bekimov 8-0 to comfortably claim the bronze medal.
Adding to the tally, Rohit Bura delivered a commanding performance in his 87kg bronze medal bout, defeating Kyrgyzstan's Artykbek Alymbek Uulu with a clinical 9-0 victory to finish on the podium.
— IANS
Reader Comments
So happy to see Mansi Lather's dominating win! 14-1 is no joke against a tough Uzbek opponent. And Kajal blanking her opponent 10-0 in the final is just incredible. These girls are unstoppable! 🥇
Great to see India dominating in wrestling at the youth level. The depth is really impressive—eight medals in one day is fantastic. Hope this translates into Olympic success soon! 🇮🇳
Solid performance from the Indian contingent. The Greco-Roman wrestlers are really stepping up too. Sumit's gold in 63kg and Neeraj's bronze in 55kg show we're building talent across all styles. Keep it up!
Well done to all the medalists, but I feel for Sweety and Neha who had to settle for silver. The margins were very close in their finals. With more international exposure, they can convert these silvers to gold next time. The government needs to invest more in infrastructure and coaching for our wrestlers. 🙏
Proud moment for Indian sports! Ahilya Shinde's bronze was also impressive—she dominated her bout 13-2. It's wonderful to see so many young women wrestlers from India shining. This is what happens when you nurture talent from grassroots level! 💪
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