Ravi Dahiya Claims Maiden Bronze Medal at 2019 World Wrestling Championship, Twenty-Year-Old Becomes Third Indian Grappler to Win a Medal
Ravi Kumar Dahiya became the second Indian male wrestler after Bajrang Punia to clinch a bronze medal at the ongoing 2019 World Wrestling Championship. Dahiya, who made his debut at the World Championships this year, beat Reza Ahmadali Atrinagharchi 6-3 to claim the bronze medal.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya became the second Indian male wrestler after Bajrang Punia to clinch a bronze medal at the ongoing 2019 World Wrestling Championship. Dahiya, who made his debut at the World Championships this year, beat Reza Ahmadali Atrinagharchi 6-3 to claim the bronze medal. The 20-year-old grappler is also the third Indian - after Punia and Vinesh Phogat - to win a medal at the 2019 World Wrestling Championship. It is his first medal in the Championships.
Earlier, Punia, India's top-ranked wrestler, fought back from 0-6 down to beat Tulga Tumur Ochir of Mongolia and clinch a bronze medal in the 65kg category of the 2019 World Wrestling Championships in Kazakhstan. Punia, who was knocked out of the World Championships event in a controversial manner, beat Ochiryn 8-7 to win the bout in the repechage round. He became the first Indian wrestler to win three medals at the Wrestling Championships. It was also the 25-year-old Indian grappler’s second bronze at the Worlds and added to his silver from the Budapest edition in 2018.
The World No 1 and Worlds debutant Dahiya had already sealed their qualification for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo before being knocked out of the event from the semi-finals. While Punia bowed out of the 2019 World Wrestling Championships after a controversial loss to local grappler Daulet Niyazbekov in the final-four stage, Dahiya was knocked out after a 4-6 defeat to Russian Zavur Uguev.
Meanwhile, Kumar booked his tickets for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games after upsetting former World Champion Yuki Takahashi 6-1 in the quarter-finals of the 57-kg weight category. Before that, Kumar overcame a stiff challenge from Armenia's Arsen Harutyunyan and emerged victorious by winning the bout 17-6 in the pre-quarterfinals. He had opened his campaign by thrashing Sunggwon Kim of Korea 11-0. (With IANS Inputs)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 20, 2019 08:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).