Indian wrestler Antim Panghal clinched a bronze medal in the women’s 53 kg freestlye event at the World Wrestling Championships on Thursday, in Belgrade, Serbia. With the spot on the podium, Panghal also secured a berth at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games for India.

The 19-year-old from India beat Sweden’s Emma Malmgren 16-6, a win by Technical Superiority, to claim the bronze medal.

Panghal, the recently crowned Under-20 World Champion, had made a quick start to the match by racing to a 5-0 lead over the Under-23 and Senior European Champion. But the Swede managed to make it 6-6 at the end of the opening round.

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In the second half though, the Indian dominated her opponent before securing the match and the medal.

Panghal had started the tournament with an upset 3-2 win over reigning world champion Dominique Olivia Parrish of the United States. She then beat Poland’s Roksana Marta Zasina 10-0, followed by a 9-6 win over Russian grappler Natalia Malysheva in the quarter-final.

In the semi-final, she lost a close bout 4-5 to Russian Vanesa Kaladzinskaya, the eventually silver-medallist.

But she was quick to make amends and clinch a spot on the podium with the win on Thursday.

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The quota she won however, does not secure her a spot at Paris since the Olympic berth she won is awarded to the country. Therefore, there is a possibility that the quota she won may be awarded to another wrestler instead.

Panghal will now be expected to compete at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.