India's freestyle wrestlers Akshay Dhere (57kg) and Vicky (97kg) clinched gold medals at the U23 Asian Championships in Vietnam. Muskan, Tapsya, Bhagyashree, and Pulkit also topped the podium, contributing to India's dominant performance.
India's freestyle grapplers Akshay T Dhere and Vicky delivered stunning gold medal-winning performances to set the stage for a blockbuster day at the U23 Asian Championships in Da Nang, Vietnam, on Monday.
Freestyle Golds for Akshay and Vicky
Akshay set the tone in the 57kg weight class by edging past Kazakhstan's Yelaman Amangeldi with a gritty 4-2 victory to claim the title, according to a press release.
Vicky soon doubled the joy for the Indian camp in the 97kg division, pulling off a thrilling 7-5 win against Uzbekistan's Sherzod Poyonov to secure the top spot on the podium.
Gold Rush Continues
In the 53kg final, Muskan controlled the bout against Vietnam's Thi My Linh Nguyen, registering a comfortable 6-2 win to clinch the title.
Tapsya was even more dominant in the 57kg category, securing her gold medal with a victory by fall over Kazakhstan's Altyn Shagayeva while leading 4-0.
Bhagyashree H. Fand added another gold to India's tally in the 62kg division, blanking Kyrgyzstan's Tynys Dubek 4-0 in her title clash.
Pulkit (65kg) added to India's gold rush with 4-0 and 4-1 wins over Kyrgyzstan's Tynys Dubek and Mongolia's Narkhajid Nyamsuren, respectively, while Amruta Shashikant Pujari took home the silver in the 72kg division after a narrow 2-4 defeat to Mongolia's Odgerel Edene Ochir. (ANI)
WFI President Hails 'Dominant Showing'
"Winning two freestyle golds on the continental stage is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the tactical brilliance of Akshay and Vicky. They fought with immense heart today. I am equally thrilled for our women wrestlers who have shown incredible resilience to reach so many finals. This dominant showing proves that the future of Indian wrestling is in very safe hands, and I congratulate the entire squad for bringing such immense pride to the nation," said Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Singh.
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