World U20 Wrestling Championships 2022 | Priya settles for silver, Sonam Malik to fight for gold
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Reigning cadet world champion Priya won the women's 76kg silver medal at the ongoing World U20 Wrestling Championships 2022 in Sofia, Bulgaria on Thursday. In a close final, the Indian lost against Japan's Ayano Moro 1-3, despite scoring the first point of the match, unfortunately.
Prior to this, Priya beat Kazakhstan’s Alina Yertostik by fall and managed a 6-4 win over Turkey’s Melisa Saritac in the quarters. In the semis, she won against Hungary's Veronika Nyikos 6-5. Meanwhile, another female wrestler, Priyanshi Prajapat (women’s 50kg) won the bronze.Â
This means that India now has nine medals from the championship, with two silver and seven bronze. Priyanshi beat Laura Ganikyzy of Kazakhstan 8-0 in the round of 16 and later went past Ukraine’s Aida Kerymova in the quarters to win 9-7. She lost her semis bout against Umi Ito of Japan 10-0. In the repechage round, she beat U23 Asian champion Munkhgerel Munkhbat of Mongolia.
There is still hope for India to bag a gold medal from the championship. Tokyo Olympian and two-time cadet world champion Sonam Malik (women’s 62kg), reigning junior Asian champions Antim (women’s 53kg), and Priyanka (women’s 65kg) will fight for gold later in the day. The likes of Manju (women’s 55kg) and Bhagyashree Hanumant Fand (women’s 59kg), also made it to the bronze medal playoff, but could not secure the medal.Â
