U23 World Wrestling Championships 2021: India’s Shivani Pawar reaches final
Anju, meanwhile, lost in the semi-final of the 55kg category and will fight for the bronze medal next.
Indian wrestler Shivani Pawar fought through the qualifiers and reached the final of the women’s 50kg category to confirm the first medal for India at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia on Wednesday.
Shivani Pawar, who is also the reigning U23 national champion in her division, will now take on Emily King Shilson of the USA for the gold medal on Thursday.
The 23-year-old Shivani started her campaign by pinning the U23 European silver medallist Anastasiya Yanotava of Belarus to qualify for the main draw and followed it up by defeating Ukraine’s Tetiana Profatilova 13-6 in the quarters.
The Indian grappler then pinned the reigning U23 European champion Mariia Tiumerekova of the Russian Wrestling Federation to move into the final.
Shivani Pawar can become the first-ever gold medallist from India at the U23 World Championships.
Meanwhile, in the women’s 55kg, Anju will have a shot at the bronze medal when she takes on Canada’s Virginie Kaze Gascon.
Like Shivani Pawar, Anju also came through the qualification round but lost a close semi-final match to the Russia Wrestling Federation’s Viktoriia Vaulina 5-4.
On her way to the top four, Anju defeated Alicja Czyzowicz of Poland (9-0) and the USA’s Alexandra Wray Hedrick (11-8).
Later, junior world silver winner Bipasha also survived the qualifier to advance to the main draw of the women’s 76kg.
Although Bipasha lost in the quarter-final, her opponent Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan reached the final, giving Bipasha a chance to fight in the repechage round and make the bronze medal contest.
Meanwhile, Monika (68kg) lost in the qualification but will contest in the repechage round on Thursday since her opponent Koumba Larroque also made the finals.
Pushpa, however, could not go past the qualifiers of the 59kg category.