Glasgow: Indian wrestlers continued their impressive run at the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday, with four reaching gold medal play-offs and one the bronze medal match at the SECC Hall here.
After two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, Amit Kumar and Vinesh Phogat bagged golds and Rajeev Tomar settled for silver on Tuesday, their compatriots Satywart Kadian, Bajrang, Lalita, Sakshi Malek and Navjot Kaur also made it to the medal rounds of their respective categories on Wednesday.
While Kadian, Bajrang, Lalita and Malek are eyeing the top spot in the gold medal contest, Kaur will be fighting for bronze.
Haryana’s Kadian started the proceedings in the men’s freestyle 97kg by comprehensively winning in the round of 16 and quarter-final and going on to defeat England’s Leon Rattigan 8-4 in the semi-final. The 20-year-old will take on Canada’s Indian origin wrestler Arjun Gill in the final.
Bajrang also had easy outings in his first two bouts and then defeated Nigeria’s Amas Daniel 5-2 in the last four clash of the men’s freestyle 61kg category. He will take on Canada’s David Tremblay in the final.
Among the women, Malek and Lalita started directly in the quarter-finals, with both coming out on top.
In the freesytle 53kg semi-final, Lalita thrashed local girl Shannon Hawke 4-0, while Malek defeated Braxton Stone 8-5 in the freestyle 58kg last four clash.
The summit clash will be a battle between India and Nigeria in both cases, with Lalita taking on Odunayo Adekuoroye and Malek facing Akirat Adeniyi.
With only four contestants in the women’s freestyle 69kg event, Navjot started directly in the semis but lost 0-10 to Dori Yeats of Canada.
In the bronze medal play-off, she will be up against Scotland’s Sarah Jones.
