Vinesh Phogat wins gold at Poland Open, Anshu withdraws due to fever
Anshu Malik, who was due to compete in the women’s 57kg category, had to pull out of the tournament due to fever. She has been tested for COVID.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat claimed the women’s 53kg category gold medal at the Poland Open ranking Series in Warsaw on Friday after beating Ukraine’s Khrystyna Bereza in the final.
This was India’s second medal at the event after Ravi Kumar Dahiya’s silver in the men’s 61kg on Wednesday.
Vinesh Phogat outwrestled Russia’s Ekaterina Poleshchuk, a 2019 world championships bronze medallist, in the first round by a 6-2 margin. The Indian made a slow start to go 0-2 behind but recovered to pick up the next six points.
Up against US grappler Amy Ann Fearnside in the semi-finals, Vinesh Phogat took just 75 seconds to settle the affair while she was leading 6-0. Vinesh pinned Fearnside to win and set up a final clash against Ukrainian grappler Khrystyna Bereza.
Bereza, whom Vinesh had beaten comfortably en route to gold at the Rome Ranking series last year, defeated Russia’s Milana Makhacheva Dadasheva and local-favourite Katarzyna Krawczyk to earn her spot in the gold medal match.
In the final, both wrestlers made a tentative start but Vinesh soon went on the offensive and raced to a 4-0 lead.
After the mid-way break, Bereza was forced to take the initiative to reduce the deficit. It worked out in the Indian’s favour as Vinesh picked her moments and wrapped up the bout 8-0.
Vinesh Phogat has been in fine form this year. Heading into the Warsaw meet, the Indian wrestler won gold medals at the Matteo Pellicone event in Rome, Italy, the Ukraine memorial and the Asian championships at Almaty, Uzbekistan. The latter was her maiden Asian title.
Anshu Malik tested for COVID-19
Vinesh’s Indian team-mate Anshu Malik, who was set to compete in the women’s 57kg event, but was forced to pull out after coming down with fever. The reigning Asian champion underwent a test for COVID-19 and has been kept in isolation until the result comes in.
Anshu showed signs of fever during the official weigh-in and was asked to pull out. She is the second Indian to have pulled out of the tournament.
On Tuesday, Deepak Punia withdrew from the men's freestyle 86kg competition owing to an elbow injury.
India had sent four Tokyo Olympics-bound wrestlers – Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Deepak Puniya – for the Poland Open. The event is the last Ranking Series event ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, which starts in July.