Antim Panghal’s Paris Olympic dream came to a premature end with a resounding 10-0 defeat against Turkey’s Zeynep Yetgil in the Round of 16. The young Indian wrestler, once hailed as a rising star, struggled to match her opponent’s intensity and skill.
A report by Revsportz highlighted a critical issue that may have contributed to Antim’s defeat. The report suggests that Antim struggled to meet her weight for the competition and allegedly starved herself for the last two days to make the cut for the 53kg category. This drastic measure likely left her with insufficient energy for her bout.
Bout recap of Antim Panghal
Seeded fourth, Antim Panghal began her bout cautiously, with Zeynep Yetgil taking the aggressive stance. The unseeded Turkish wrestler quickly executed a takedown for two points and flipped Antim again to go 4-0 up in the opening minute. Yetgil then scored six points in rapid succession, wrapping up the bout 10-0 on technical superiority within 90 seconds.
No chance for repechage for Antim Panghal
Antim’s hopes for a bronze medal via repechage were dashed when Yetgil was pinned by Germany’s Annika Wendle in the subsequent round. This defeat ended any chance for Antim to compete further in the tournament.
India Wrestling in fix
Antim Panghal’s early exit is a significant setback for the Indian wrestling team. The young athlete was expected to challenge for a medal, but her disappointing performance has dampened the nation’s hopes.
With Panghal out of the competition, India’s medal hopes now rest on the shoulders of Anshu Malik, Aman Sehrawat, and Reetika Hooda.
The spotlight is now firmly on the Indian wrestling federation to address the issue of weight management and ensure that athletes are not subjected to such extreme measures in the future.
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