Hangzhou: Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia lost in the semifinals of the Wrestling Men’s Freestyle 65kg event of the ongoing Asian Games here on Friday.
Iran's Rahman Amouzadkhalili started with a 4-point takedown in the very first minute. He completed the bout by 8 points with takedowns while Punia managed to score a lone point.
Bajrang was thrashed 8-1 by the 2022 world champion and reigning Asian champion, who stunned the Indian with a four-pointer at the start of the bout.
The Iranian lifted and almost rolled Bajrang after getting hold of his right leg. The four-pointer had rattled Bajrang, while the Iranian stayed solid to defend his lead till the end of the first period.
Amouzadkhalili effected one more four-pointer at the start of the second period to double his lead. A desperate but flummoxed Bajrang tried two leg attacks but the Iranian defended not to concede.
Eventually, Bajrang earned one point but the Iranian just ran away with the bout. In the men's 57kg competition, Aman moved to the quarterfinals with an easy 6-1 win over Korea's Kim Sunggwon.
Earlier today, Punia secured a place in the semifinals of the Wrestling Men’s Freestyle 65kg event here at Games. Indian grappler defeated Bahrain’s Alibeg Alibegov by 4-0 points to qualify for the semifinal.
Bajrang took a 2-0 lead after forcing a push out on the Bahraini wrestler. It was an excellent one-leg grapple from the veteran to open his points account of the match. Bajrang increased his lead to 4-0 after a takedown which eventually advanced him into the semifinal.
Apart from Punia, Also, Sonam Malik, Kiran Bishnoi, and Aman Sherawat will fight for bronze in their respective categories after losing their wrestling semifinals.
Indian grappler Kiran Bishnoi lost her Women’s Freestyle 76kg semifinal bout to Kazakhstan’s Zhamila Bakbergenova 2-4 on points whereas Sonam Malik lost her Women’s Freestyle 62kg bout to North Korea’s Hyongyong Mun 0-7 after a loss by fall.
India's Aman Sehrawat lost the semifinal bout of the Men’s Freestyle 57kg category to Japan’s Toshihiro Hasegawa 10-12 on points.
