Indian men’s freestyle wrestlers made significant strides on Day 6 of the U23 World Wrestling Championships, as three wrestlers fought their way into medal contention on Saturday. Abhishek Dhaka secured a bronze medal in the 61 kg category, while Chirag advanced to the final in the 57 kg division, marking a historic day for India.
Abhishek Dhaka claims India’s First Men’s Freestyle medal
Abhishek Dhaka, competing in the 61 kg category, clinched India’s first men’s freestyle medal of the tournament with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Mykyta Abramov of Ukraine.
The bout was a tight contest, with Dhaka showcasing resilience and skill to earn his second world medal. He previously won bronze in the 57 kg at the 2022 U20 World Championships, where he also bested a Ukrainian opponent, demonstrating his consistency on the world stage.
Chirag sets up Gold Medal bout
Chirag, competing in the 57 kg category, was the standout performer of the day, advancing to the gold medal match. In his semifinal, he showcased dominance with an 8-0 win over Allan Oralbek of Kazakhstan.
This victory not only secured his debut medal at a world event but also put him in line to be the third Indian in the 57 kg category to compete for gold, joining the ranks of Olympic medallists Ravi Dahiya and Aman Sehrawat. Chirag will face Kyrgyzstan’s Abdumalik Karachov in the final.
Missed opportunities for Anirudh Kumar and Deepak Nehra
In the heavier weight categories, Anirudh Kumar (125 kg) and Deepak Nehra (86 kg) were unable to reach the medal rounds, bowing out in their repechage rounds to opponents from Neutral Athletes (AIN) and Germany, respectively. Despite their efforts, they will leave the tournament without podium finishes.
Strong showings from Sujeet Kalkal and Vicky Chahar
Sujeet Kalkal (70 kg) and Vicky Chahar (97 kg) made commendable progress in their respective categories, reaching the semifinals before narrowly losing to wrestlers from Azerbaijan and Iran. Both wrestlers will have another shot at securing their first U23 world medals in Sunday’s bronze medal matches.
India medal count grows
As the championship enters its final day, India has already bagged six medals (one silver and five bronze) and is poised to add more. With Chirag guaranteed a podium finish and other wrestlers vying for bronze, India’s tally at the U23 World Wrestling Championships reflects a promising future in freestyle wrestling.
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