India claimed two medals at the U23 Wrestling World Championships on Thursday after Ankush Panghal won silver in the women’s 50kg event and Mansi Ahlawat clinched bronze in the women’s 59kg event in Pontevedra, Spain.
Ankush was up against Japan’s three-time World Champion and Tokyo Olympic champion Yui Susaki in the final. The Japanese was gunning to become the first wrestler in history to complete the wrestling Grand Slam, of winning gold across all possible major events. Susaki had already claimed gold at the Olympics, U17, U20 and senior World Championships with only the U23 gold missing from her collection.
Against a wrestler who had not conceded a point in three years, Panghal was put in a leg lock and even though she tried to claim points by exposure, Susaki locked the Indian’s legs in a figure 4 to clinch victory by fall in 112 seconds.
Ahlawat claimed bronze in the 59 kg event after her opponent Ramina Mamedova pulled out through injury.
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