Aichi-Nagoya: Indian wrestlers Antim Panghal and Deepak Punia added a silver and bronze respectively to India’s medal tally at the Asian Games on Saturday, taking the country’s count to 84 medals, 20 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
Antim settled for silver in the women’s 53kg category after losing 1-9 to Japan’s Moe Kiyooka in the gold-medal bout. The result marked India’s first silver in the women’s 53kg category at the Asian Games. Antim had won bronze in the event at the 2022 edition.
Deepak, meanwhile, ended India’s 60-year wait for a medal in the men’s freestyle 97kg category by defeating Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1 in the bronze-medal contest. India’s previous medal in the category came through Bhim Singh, who won bronze at the 1966 Asian Games.
Sagar Jaglan missed out on a podium finish in the men’s freestyle 74kg category after losing his bronze-medal bout to Kazakhstan’s three-time world medallist Nurkozha Kaipanov, who secured victory within 30 seconds.
Earlier in the day, Aman Sehrawat had clinched gold in the men’s freestyle 57kg category after defeating North Korea’s Chong Song Han in a closely fought final. Aman recovered from a 7-6 deficit in the second period with a crucial four-point move before securing the victory.
Aman’s gold was India’s second wrestling gold of the Games, following Sujeet Kalkal’s triumph on Friday.
