AMMAN (JORDAN): Putting up a dominant show, young Indian women wrestlers Aditi Kumari, Neha and Pulkit got themselves in title contention at the Under-17 World Championships, here on Wednesday.
Aditi Kumari put up an impressive show against Ukraine’s Karolina Shperyk (10-0) and Marriem Mohamed Abdelaal (4-2) to set up the 43kg semifinal against Aleksandra Berezovskaia.
She carried forward her terrific run with a 8-2 win in the semifinals to set up the 43kg final with Maria Louiza Gkika from Greece.
In 57kg, Neha made it to the semifinals without losing a point. She pinned Greek rival Mairi Mani and then won by technical superiority against Georgia’s Miranda Kapanadze.
Up next for her was Kazakhatsna’s Anna Stratan and she won 8-4 to move to the final where he will face Japan’s So Tsuitsui.
In 65kg, Pulkit dominated China’s Ling Cai for ‘win by fall’ and followed that up with a commanding 9-0 victory against Juliana Catanzaro. She then blanked Egypt’s Maram Ibrahim Aly 3-0 to seal her place in the gold-medal bout.
She will Daria Frolova on Thursday.
In the GR bronze medal play-off, Ronak, ranked two in the world, comfortably disposed of the challenge of Turkey’s Emrullah Capkan 6-1 to claim India’s first medal from the championship on Tuesday night.
He had lost to eventual silver medallist Zoltan Czako of Hungary in the semi-final. The gold was won by Ukraine’s Ivan Yankovskyi, who beat Czako by technical superiority.
Sainath Pardhi added to India’s tally by beating Kazakhstan’s Mussan Yerassyl in the 51kg bronze play-off after winning his repechage round. (PTI)