Unprecedented success followed India in the junior wrestling World Championships on Thursday as Priya became only the second Indian woman wrestler to win the U20 championship, while quickly rising Antim Panghal also raced into the title match.
Priya defeated Germany’s Laura Celive Kuehn 5-0 in the gold medal match, which had to be interrupted twice because to bleeding sustained by the Indian. Priya seemed unconcerned with the cut she sustained above her left eye.
The German was shaken by her lightning-quick leg assaults but was unable to produce a single point-scoring move.
Antim Panghal, who last year became the first Indian woman to win the junior world championship, celebrated victory on Thursday since she advanced to the 53 kg final and is now only one victory away from retaining her title. Panghal put on a commanding performance to win all three matches with absolute ease after making news for challenging Vinesh Phogat for the Asian Games trials but losing her petition.
For the first time ever, Savita (62 kg) and Antim Kundu (65 kg), two Indian female wrestlers, advanced to the Junior World Championships gold medal matches.
For the 72 kg tournament, Harshita is also vying for a medal.
Priya exceeded expectations by making it to the 76 kg final on Wednesday.
Panghal dropped only two points on her way to the championship match. She eliminated Polish opponent Nikola Monika Wisniewska in the first round in just 68 seconds, and she then defeated China’s Xuejing Liang thanks to technical dominance.
In the semifinal round, the wrestler from Haryana’s Hisar district outperformed Polina Lukina of Russia, triumphing once again by technical dominance and without conceding a single point.
Panghal would become the first female wrestler to win two world championships if she triumphs on Friday.
Antim Kundu put on a commanding performance to earn a spot in the gold medal match.
She defeated Ekaterina Koshkina of Russia in the semifinal 7-5 using her immense strength.
Prior to that, the Kuldeep Kadian-coached wrestler defeated Maria Magdalena Pantiru of Romania 7-2 and defeated Alicja Nowosad of Poland via technical fall.