Commonwealth Games 2022 wrestling: India’s Divya Kakran wins bronze after 26-second medal bout
The Indian wrestler lost in the quarter-finals to Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria but won the bronze medal, defeating Tonga’s Lily Lemalie.
Two-time Asian champion Divya Kakran bagged a bronze medal in the women’s 68kg freestyle wrestling at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, UK on Friday.
Divya Kakran also won the bronze medal at Gold Coast 2018.
The 23-year-old Divya Kakran beat Tonga’s Tiger Lily Cocker Lemalie by fall to clinch her podium finish at the Coventry Stadium and Arena.
Despite getting a first round bye, the Indian wrestler pulled the short straw in the draw and was pitted against Nigeria’s Blessing Oborududu, the reigning champion and a silver medallist from Tokyo 2020, in her opening bout - the quarter-finals.
Incidentally, Divya Kakran had lost to Oborududu in the semi-finals at Gold Coast 2018.
The Indian failed to turn the tables this year as well as she lost via technical superiority to the Nigerian ace.
However, with Oborududu making it to the final, Divya Kakran was handed a bronze medal shot through repechage.
In her repechage match, Divya Kakran comfortably pinned Blandine Nyeh Ngiri of Cameroon to earn herself a bronze medal match against Tonga’s Tiger Lily Cocker Lemalie.
The bronze medal match lasted only 26 seconds as Divya Kakran picked up two points before converting it into a pin.