World Wrestling championships: Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Vinesh Phogat has lost in the qualification round in the ongoing World Wrestling Championship in Belgrade. The star Indian grappler went down to Mongolia's Khulan Batkhuyag by 0-7 in the women's 53 kg category.
Former World Bronze medallist Phogat looked far from her best and was pushed way on the backfoot in the opening period. Batkhuyag took an early lead of 3-0 in the first period. She then pinned Phogat in the last stages of the match to take a 7-0 lead. Meanwhile, Phogat failed to maintain the performance she displayed in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where she won Gold in the same 53 kg category.
In the trials of the World Wrestling championships, Phogat had defeated junior wrestler Antim. Incidentally, Antim had beaten Batkhuyag at the U-23 Asian meet earlier in August.
Also, India's Neelam Sirohi faced a defeat at the hands of two-time world silver medallist Emilia Alina Vuc of Romania by 0-10 via technical superiority in the women's 50kg. Neelam had won her qualification round by defeating Hungary's Szimonetta Timea Szeker by 4-2. Also, India's Shafali lost her qualification round against France's Koumba Larroque by 10-0. The 2022 World Wrestling championships are being held in Belgrade, Serbia. It began on September 10 and will conclude by September 18.
Vinesh Phogat had earlier won a Bronze medal in the World Wrestling championships in 2019. She had defeated two-time medallist Maria Prevolaraki of Greece to clinch the Bronze. Vinesh then became the country's only fifth woman wrestler to win a medal at the Worlds, joining the list of players like Geeta & Babita Phogat, Alka Tomar and Pooja Dhanda.
Vinesh also showed dominance in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She won all her three bouts in the nordic system. She defeated Sri Lanka’s Chamodya Keshani Maduravalage Don in the final bout.
(With inputs from PTI)
