Internet Desk: Sakshi Malik failed to achieve the gold for her country as she lost her final bout to Risako Kawai of Japan in the Asian Wrestling Championship of the 60kg category.
Sakshi lost her match 0-10 to her opponent who was the Olympic goal medallist at Rio while Sakshi bagged bronze. She had won her Olympic medal at the 58kg category but as she increased her weight she competed in the 60kg category.
Sakshi, who created history by becoming the first Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal — with a bronze — last year, could not counter the challenge from the strong Japanese grappler.
Competing for the first time in women’s 60kg category after jumping up the weight division from 58kg, Sakshi though hardly had to break a sweat en route to the final.
It was a cake walk for the 24-year-old, who got the better of Nabira Esenbaeva of Uzbekistan 6-2 in the quarterfinal and then defeated Kazakhstan’s Ayaulym Kassymova 15-3 in her semifinal bout to cruise into the gold medal round.
Another Indian, Vinesh Phogat also settled for a silver in women’s 55kg category.
Divya Kakran was the third Indian to have made the final in women’s 69kg category.
However, Ritu Phogat (women’s 48kg) went down in her semifinal bout to Yui Susaki of Japan 0-9 to lose out on a place in the final but would fight for the bronze medal.
Pinki, meanwhile, was the lone Indian to have lost in the quarterfinal round of women’s 53kg to bow out of the tournament early.
With inputs from PTI.