Poland Open Wrestling 2021: Vinesh Phogat clinches gold as Anshu Malik withdraws after catching fever
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Vinesh Phogat
Tokyo Olympics bound wrestler Vinesh Phogat has clinched the 53kg gold medal at the Poland Open wrestling. She toppled Ukraine’s Khrystyna Bereza in the final to bag third straight gold this year. Vinesh defeated the Ukrainian with a flurry of leg attacks as she showed off her summer Games preparations.
Vinesh squared off against 2019 World bronze winner Ekaterina Poleshchuk in her opening bout. She then went toe to toe with Amy Ann Fearnside. It only took Vinesh 75 seconds to pin the American and advance to the finals.
The 26-year-old is all set to clinch her third gold medal in as many tournaments this season. Vinesh won titles in Matteo Pellicone and Asian Championship as she gears up for the Summer Olympics. It has been smooth sailing for Phogat thus far as she continues to ride her momentum in international competitions and gold seems inevitable.
Anshu Malik withdraws due to fever
Tokyo Olympic bound young Indian wrestler Anshu Malik on Friday withdrew from Poland Open Wrestling after catching a fever. She will be in isolation as a precautionary measure till she gets her COVID-19 test report. The reigning Asian champion Anshu reported for weigh-in for the 57kg category on Friday morning. And it was then that she had fever and was suggested that she withdraws from the competition.
Anshu’s parents had contracted virus last month and till the time they recovered, she and her younger brother had stayed in a hotel in Rohtak. She had come back home only after they recovered. Anshu, 19, had qualified for the Tokyo Games through the Asian Olympic Qualifier, held in Almaty in April this year.
India returned with only two medals in the event. While Vinesh finished with gold while Ravi Dahiya returned with silver.
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Anshuman Mahapatra
(1496 Articles Published)