CWG 2018: Bajrang Punia won gold for India. (Source: PTI)
CWG 2018, Wrestling Updates: Wrestlers gave India a resounding start at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2018 in Gold Coast with Sushil Kumar and Rahul Aware winning gold medals; Babita Kumari Phogat bagging a silver medal while Kiran won bronze. That trend continued on the second day of wrestling with Bajrang Punia winning the gold medal even as Mausam Khatri and Pooja Dhanda had to content themselves with silver medals each. Divya Kakran took home the bronze medal for India. With the showing today, India’s wrestling haul at CWG 2018 increased to eight medals. It is expected to get even better on the third day with Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Sumit and Somveer in action.
Highlights
That's a wrap! And that's a wrap from all the action on the wrestling mat from Day 9 of Commonwealth Games. Plenty of thrilling action involving all four wrestlers. All four managed to make their way to a medal match and came out with contribution to the tally.
Mausam Khatri is overpowered completely by Martin Erasmus of South Africa. The Indian goes down to a less-experienced wrestler but does exceptionally to win this with ease. Silver medal for Mausam Khatri
In the last match of the day, Mausam Khatri is against Martin Erasmus of South Africa in the 97kg freestyle. Khatri starts off with a single point before Erasmus overpowers and turns Khatri around for four points. Extends that lead to five points and makes the score 6-1 with a takedown. Mausam is under tremendous pressure as an extremely quick Erasmus race away to 10-1 lead. He gets the win with a 12-2 margin
Divya Kakran wins bronze medal with a win in just 36 seconds. Strong, strong showing to win a medal in the 68kg freestyle category
Divya Kakran against Sherin Sulatana underway. And all it takes is 36 seconds for the bout to be over. She wins 4-0 with a quick flip and then pins for a win by fall.
In the end, Pooja Dhanda will have to content herself with a silver medal. What a thrilling finish in the last thirty seconds. Pooja Dhanda with two takedowns in the last few seconds to reduce deficit and tried to go for the pin which didn't come. Adekuoroye holds on to take the gold medal
Second period underway in the bout. Divya needs something special now with less than a minute to go. She still trails by five points. Unable to find a way through against the Nigerians stiff defensive. Two point takedown followed by another and Pooja reduces gap to one at 5-6. But Adekuoroye gets one of her own to give some breathing room. But the clock ticks down amd Adekuoroye wins 7-5
Semifinal in 57kg freestyle weight category underway between Pooja Dhanda and Odunayo Adekuoroye of Nigeria. Pooja starts by getting a gift of a point before an extremely aggressive Adekuoroye piles up points of her own. She leads 3-1. Adekuoroye adds to her tally by pushing Pooja off the bounds. Adekuoroye looked to be on the defensive before turning things around immediately to collect two points. She now leads 6-1. And that is how they go for a quick break at the end of the first period
Bajrang Punia wins gold with a 10-0 margin over Wales' Charig Kane in the 65kg freestyle category. A dominant show 10-0 and Bajrang Punia wins on technical superiority
In the gold medal match of 65kg freestyle category, Bajrang Punia steps up on the mat to face Wales' Charig Kane. And what a start for Bajrang. He's been in complete dominance mode in just over a minute's play. Overpowering his opponent with ease and it seems like Charig has a cut inside his mouth as well as he gets attention. Bajrang up 8-0 already with under two minutes played. Bajrang with quick work and takes two more points to win. 10-0 and Bajrang Punia wins
Divya Kakran goes down 1-11 to Nigeria's Blessing Oborududu. The Nigerian far too strong and far too quick for Divya and she will go on to compete in the bronze medal match now
Divya Kakran starts by picking a point but the Nigerian Oborududu keeps herself in command with a takedown. She now leads 7-1. Lots for Divya to do to come back from here. But it doesn't work in the Indian's favour in the end and Divya Kakran loses 1-11
Next on the mat is Divya Kakran vs Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria. Two-time Olympian Oborududu proving to be a tough opponent in the first period. 30 second passivity time alloted for the Nigerian to attack but it doesn't result to anything. She's got Divya's legs properly locked and turns her completely before forcing a takedown. She has a strong 5-0 lead now. At the end of the first period, Divya trails 0-5
Pooja Dhanda is through to the gold medal match after beating Joseph Essombe Tiako of Cameeron 11-5 (3-1 in classication points). She will take on Odunayo Adekuoroye in the gold medal match
Tiako starts brightly with a two-point takedown. On the attack with a decent gap to bridge. Pooja doing well to stand firm and not allowing any chance. Caution for Pooja and the Cameroon wrestler gets a point. With thirty seconds to go, she needs four points to level things. With the seconds ticking down, Pooja reverses things and picks two points of her own. Goes on to hold and win 11-5
Pooja Dhanda starts with very clever tactics and is rewarded for it with two takedowns. But Tiako comes back to reduce the deficit with two points as Pooja loses her balance. It is now 4-2 in favour of Pooja. She adds one more point to her score before a strong takedown extends the lead to 9-2. Fair to Cameroonian for keeping the bout going and slipping out of the mat. At the end of the first period, Pooja leads 9-2
Set for the championship phase of wrestling at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) on the second day. Start off with Odunayo ADEKUOROYE beating Emily SCHAEFER. Next up is Pooja Dhanda vs Joseph ESSOMBE TIAKO
Pooja Dhanda will take on Joseph Essombe Tiako of Cameroon in the 57kg freestyle semifinal later today. While Divya Karan will look to down Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria in her semifinal in 68kg freestyle
Bajrang will face Charig Kane of Wales in what is already a big moment for wrestling in Wales.
Bajrang Punia joins Mausam Khatri into the gold medal match in his 65kg freestyle category. A resounding performance over Vincent de Marinis of Canada. Had the momentum throughout the bout and had all but sealed things in the first round to lead 8-0. Got the job done soon enough in the second to win 10-0 on technical superiority
Mausam Khatri is through to the gold medal match in 97kg freestyle. Faces stiff contest from Soso Tamarau of Nigeria. Khatri led 5-2 after the first round before Tamarau raced back in the second to keep things alive. In the end, Khatri stood firm to win 10-7 - on points
Pooja Dhanda beats Ana Moceyawa of New Zealand in Men's Nordic 57kg Freestyle Group B bout. 8-0 win on fall in the first round. She remains unbeaten so far
In Women's 68kg Freestyle Nordic Group B, Divya Karan loses 2-12 to Canada's Danielle Lappage. A completely one-sided affair over in just the first period. A win on technical superiority for Lappage
Bajran beats Amas Daniel of Nigeria 10-0 to move into the semifinal. Six points in the first period followed by four in the second and a win on technical superiority seals his passage into the semifinals in 65kg.
Mausam Khatri begins with a resounding win of his own. Three successive four pointers and he wins 12-0 over Alexios Kaouslidis of Cyprus for a victory by technical superiority. He's into the semis of 97kg category
Divya Karan also starts with a win in the Women's Freestyle 68kg category. Not the most comfortable of wins though. Karan and Gaelle Alakame Anzong were locked at 8-8 at the end of the first period before Divya bagged the win in the second period by fall
Pooja Dhanda beats Emily Schaefer of Canada 12-5 in the Women's Freestyle 57kg Group B. Making her experience count in the end
Bajrang Punia starts off with a comfortbale 10-0 win - on technical superiority - against Brahm Richards of New Zealand. Needed just one period to get things done. What a start!
Hello and Good Morning! We're all set for our live coverage of the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast with special focus here on wrestling. Bajrang Punia, Pooja Dhanda, Masuam Khatri and Divya Karan are in action today for India. Bajrang the first one to the take the mat