CWG 2022: L Shushila Devi assures India of judo silver; Vijay Kumar Yadav to fight for bronze
India is assured of another silver medal at the Commonwealth Games 2022. While L Shushila Devi has entered the 48kg judo final, Vijay Kumar Yadav will vie for the 60kg bronze.
FollowIndian judoka L Shushila Devi assured the country of a medal after advancing to the women's 48kg final of the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Birmingham, the 22nd edition. She beat Mauritius's Priscilla Morand on Monday. The 27-year-old from Manipur downed Morand with an 'Ippon', setting up a gold medal bout with South Africa's Michaela Whitebooi.
Ippon happens to be a move that involves a contestant throwing at the opponent to the mat with substantial force and speed so that the rival lands on his back. An ippon is also awarded upon a contestant immobilizing his opponent with a grappling hold-down for 20 seconds or when the opponent gives up.
ALSO READ: CWG 2022 - INDIAN LAWN BOWLERS HOPE TO GAIN ENOUGH RECOGNITION AS MS DHONI IN INDIA
A sub-inspector with Manipur Police, Shushila progressed to the quarterfinals with a win over Malawi's Harriet Bonface earlier on Monday. In the meantime, in the men's 60kg repechage, Vijay Kumar Yadav performed superbly to advance to the bronze medal bout with a win by 'Waza Ari' over Scotland's Dylon Munro.
A 'waza-ari' is awarded after a player throws his rival with control and accuracy, but not precisely like an ippon. The 26-year-old Yadav, who also won the Commonwealth Championships in 2018 and 2019, lost to Australia's Joshua Katz in the quarterfinal before making amends in the repechage. He faces Cyprus's Petros Christodoulides for the bronze.
ALSO READ: CWG 2022 - WEIGHTLIFTER AJAY SINGH BARELY MISSES OUT ON BRONZE
Jasleen Singh Saini will also fight for bronze after losing the men's 66kg semis to Finlay Allan of Scotland. Saini, who drifted into the semis earlier on Monday, failed after the Scot executed an 'Ippon', while the contest lasted a little less than two and half minutes. The 24-year-old Saini, however, still has a chance to earn a podium finish as he competes in the bronze play-off against Nathan Katz of Australia later tonight.
Suchika Tariyal has already advanced to the bronze medal round after conquering South Africa's Donne Breytenbach in the women's 57kg repechage. India had won a couple of silvers and a couple of bronze in Glasgow 2014, its best judo show.
(With inputs from PTI)
