The Hindu : Sport / Wrestling : Alka, Suman bag bronze; Babita unlucky to miss out

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Alka, Suman bag bronze; Babita unlucky to miss out

Y.B. Sarangi

Chinese women dominate claiming four golds

— Photo: Sandeep Saxena

India's K. Suman (right) in action against Mongolian T. Munkhtuya in the women's 59-kg freestyle category.

NEW DELHI: Indian wrestlers returned two bronze medals in the women's competitions of the Asian championship at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex wrestling stadium here on Friday.

Of the six Indian grapplers who made the repechage round, Alka Tomar won her second consecutive bronze and Suman Kundu added another one to swell India's overall medals tally to two gold and two bronze.

China dominated the women's competitions by claiming four gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

Alka (59kg) defeated Miruyert Dynabayeva of Kazakhstan (3-3, 2-1) to land the first medal of the day for the host. The 2006 World championship bronze winner displayed a decent performance to beat Wilaiwan Thongkam (6-0, 2-0) and advance to the semifinals. The Thai was a 63kg silver medallist last year.

Alka, however, could not get past Chinese Fengming Liu (0-5, 3-1, 0-3), who went on to bag the gold.

In the repechage, the 26-year-old Indian, who had conceded early points to her Kazak opponent in the first round, banked on her power and technique to emerge successful.

“I lost to Liu in the semis because of my faulty technique. I do not think she was better than me. I paid the price for my mistake,” said Alka.

Suman Kundu bagged the 63kg bronze by getting the better of another Kazakh Kalinina Olga (2-0, 3-2).

Earlier, Suman beat Mongolian T. Munkhtuya (0-1, 4-0, 4-1) to make the last four where she narrowly lost to Korean Sang-Eun Park (0-1, 0-1). The Korean ended up pocketing the top honour.

Thrilling bout

In a thrilling bronze medal bout, Babita (51kg) went down fighting to Hiromi Sakurai. The Japanese convincingly won the first round 4-1, but Babita made a comeback to bag the second 3-0. The decider went into the tie-break, where Hiromi won the toss and consequently the contest.

Nirmala Devi (48kg) was overpowered by Sim Hyang So of North Korea in the repechage round.

Geetika Jakhar (67kg) and Anmol (72kg) could not succeed against their rivals in their quest for the bronze. Geetika was tamed by China's Ying Chen (0-1, 1-0, 0-1), while Anmol was outclassed by Japanese Yoshiko Inoue (6-0, 7-0).

The medal winners: Women: 48kg: 1. Shasha Zhao (Chn), 2. Fuyuko Mimura (Jpn), 3. Sim Hyang So (PRK), Thi Lua Nguyen (Vie); 51kg: 1. Hui Li (Chn), 2. Zhuldyz Turtabayeva (Kaz), 3. Hiromi Sakurai (Jpn), Kum-Ok Han (PRK).

55kg: 1. Senlian Yang (Chn), 2. Chikako Matsukawa (Jpn), 3. Hungyong Choe (PRK), S. Byambatseren (Mgl); 59kg: 1. Fengming Liu (Chn), 2. S. Battsetseg (Mgl), 3. Yurika Ito (Jpn), Alka Tomar (Ind).

63kg: 1. Sang-Eun Park (Korea), 2. Haili Cui (Chn), 3. Suman Kundu (Ind), Seiko Nagashima (Jpn); 67kg: 1. Chiaki Iijima (Jpn), 2. B. Oyunsuren (Mgl), 3. Olga Zhanibekova (Kaz), Ying Chen (Chn).

72kg: 1. Guzel Manyurova (Kaz), 2. Naranchimeg Gelegjamts (Mgl), 3. Yoshiko Inoue (Jpn), Dan Li (Chn) .

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