Asian Games: Nitesh storms into final, Mansi to fight for bronze
Synopsis
Nitesh Siwach stormed into the men's Greco-Roman 97kg final, assuring India a wrestling medal at the Asian Games. Mansi Ahlawat's gold hopes ended, but she will compete for bronze. India also secured medals in squash and sepaktakraw.
Nitesh Siwach stormed into the men's Greco-Roman 97kg final with a dominant 9-0 victory over Mongolia's Gankhuyag Ganbaatar, while Mansi Ahlawat's gold medal hopes were dashed after a 0-6 semifinal defeat to Japan's two-time world champion Nonoka Ozaki at the Asian Games here on Thursday. Nitesh, who won silver at the Asian Championships earlier this year, produced another commanding performance against the Hangzhou Asian Games bronze medallist to assure India of its second wrestling medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, according to ESPN.
The Indian had earlier defeated Turkmenistan's Amanberdi Agamammedov 7-1 in the quarterfinals, racing to a 7-0 lead in the opening period before completing the victory. Nitesh will now fight for gold against the winner of the other semifinal between Iran's Mehdi Balihamzehdeh and Japan's Yuri Nakazato.
Mansi, meanwhile, could not overcome the challenge posed by Ozaki in the women's 62kg semifinal. The Japanese wrestler took an early 2-0 lead with a takedown and repeated the move to extend her advantage to 4-0. Mansi defended well thereafter but struggled to find a way through Ozaki's defence. Ozaki added two more points with another takedown in the second period before holding on to complete a 6-0 victory. Mansi, a former World Championships bronze medallist in the 59kg category, will now compete in the repechage and have a chance to fight for the bronze medal.
Judo, Squash, and Team Events Update
India also had mixed fortunes in judo on Thursday. Yamini Mourya lost her women's 57kg quarterfinal to Mongolia's Ariunzaya Terbish by yuko and will now face Japan's Mio Shirakane in the repechage for a place in the bronze medal bout. In the women's 70kg category, Inunganbi Takhellambam progressed to the quarterfinals after defeating Nepal's Punam Shrestha by ippon. She will face North Korea's Mun Song Hui in the last eight.
India also secured a bronze medal in women's team squash after losing 1-2 to Hong Kong in the semifinal.
Earlier in the day, India confirmed a medal in men's sepaktakraw after beating Vietnam 2-0 in the quadrant Group A match to seal a semifinal spot.
India's men's volleyball campaign, however, ended in disappointment as they lost 0-3 to Pakistan in the quarterfinals.
India had entered Day 12 with 60 medals -- 10 gold, 21 silver and 29 bronze -- and continued to add to its tally across wrestling, squash, sepaktakraw and other disciplines. (ANI)