Budapest (Hungary),
Oct 24:
Young Ritu Malik kept India in medal contention by reaching the bronze play-off but there was no end to the woes of Sakshi Malik, who suffered a humiliating quarterfinal defeat, and Ritu Phogat at the World Championship here today.
Ritu Malik, who had defeated celebrated Geeta Phogat in the trials, edged out Bulgaria’s Sofiya Hristova Georgieva 9-8 in the repechage round despite lagging behind twice in an exciting bout.
She trailed 0-3 after the first period but a four-point throw in the second period and a step out-point pushed her ahead 5-3.
However, the confident Bulgarian reduced the deficit to one point soon. Ritu again found a four-point move to zoom to a 9-6 lead. Sofiya kept Ritu Malik under pressure but the Indian grappler just about managed to maintain her lead to progress to the medal round.
Ritu Malik now has a task at hand as she is up against 2017 U-23 world champion and this year’s World Cup gold medal winner Ayana Gempei from Japan.
There was yet another disappointment in store for Olympic medallist Sakshi, who was outclassed 2-16 by Japan’s Yukako Kawai, a two time World Cup gold winner in the 62kg category.
Sakshi lost a point for passivity but took the break with a 2-1 lead after a takedown move.
However, in the second period, the Japanese inflicted a humiliation on the Indian. Yukako took three points with a leg-hold move and consolidated the lead with a take down. She followed it up with ‘fitley’, rolling Sakshi four times to log eight points.
Sakshi had endured a below-par show at the Commonwealth Games, where she won a bronze in a weak field and failed to reach the medal round at the Jakarta Asian Games. (PTI)
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