Commonwealth Games 2022: Deepak Nehra wins bronze to take India’s wrestling medal tally to 12
The Indian men’s 97kg freestyle wrestler won the bronze medal at Birmingham 2022, beating Pakistan’s Tayab Raza Awan.
Indian wrestler Deepak Nehra had to stay content with a bronze medal in the men’s 97kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, UK on Saturday.
Deepak Nehra edged out Pakistan’s Tayab Raza Awan, the 125kg bronze medallist from Gold Coast 2018, in the bronze medal bout to clinch his podium finish at the Coventry Stadium and Arena.
Interestingly, Tayab Raza’s grandfather’s brother, Din Muhammad, is recognised as Pakistan’s first gold medallist at the Asian Games. He beat Japan’s Yushu Kitano, the Olympic silver medallist from Helsinki 1952, to win the men’s 52kg category at the 1954 Asian Games.
After receiving a bye in the preliminary round, Deepak Nehra, competing in his maiden Commonwealth Games, found himself on the deep end against Canada’s Nishan Ahlawat, a junior Pan-American champion from 2017, in the quarter-finals.
In what was a close match, the 19-year-old from Rohtak went toe-to-toe with Ahlawat, who is five years older than him, but lost the plot right at the end to lose the bout 8-6.
However, with Ahlawat making the final, the Indian, who had beaten Commonwealth Games silver medallist Satyawart Kadian to make the Indian team for Birmingham 2022, entered the bronze medal match.
Up against Tayab Raza in the medal bout, Deepak opened the scoring with a well-executed fireman’s throw, which earned him a couple of points. The Pakistani reduced the deficit to 3-2 just before the break.
Deepak came out all guns blazing in the second period and an early fitele saw him extend his lead to 9-2. The Indian eventually won the bout comfortably by a 10-2 margin.
Deepak’s medal meant Indian wrestlers won a medal in all the 12 categories competed at Birmingham 2022, including six gold medals. Bajrang Punia, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Deepak Punia and Naveen registered the top podium finishes.
Anshu Malik won the silver while Divya Kakran, Mohit, Pooja Gehlot, Pooja Sihag and Deepak Nehra were the bronze medallists.
India also won 12 medals at Gold Coast 2018, including five golds.