Budapest Ranking Series 2024: Antim Panghal and Anshu Malik secure silver medals; Vinesh Phogat returns empty-handed
On the second day of the Budapest Ranking Series 2024, Indian women wrestlers Antim Panghal and Anshu Malik secured silver medals after failing to win their respective final bouts in Budapest, Hungary on June 7, Friday. Meanwhile, ace Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat drew blank as she suffered a loss in the quarter-final and returned empty-handed.
Notably, it was the first competition since winning a bronze medal at the Asian Games 2023 for Panghal as she suffered a loss over Jonna Malmgren from Sweden by 0-4 in the women’s 53 kg final to settle for the silver medal.
Antim made it to the final bout after securing a win over World Championships 2021 bronze medallist Katarzyna Krawczyk from Poland by 3-1 in the semi-final. The Paris Olympics 2024 quota holder Antim earlier had comprehensively defeated Sakibjamal Esbosynova from Uzbekistan 10-0 in the quarter-final.
Meanwhile, Anshu Malik, another Paris Olympics 2024 quota holder for India, also bagged a silver medal after suffering a loss over Kexin Hong from the People’s Republic of China by 1-12 in the women’s 57 kg final.
Anshu defeated reigning world champion Qi Zhang from China by 2-1 in the semi-final and earlier defeated former world champion Anastasia Nichita from Moldova by 6-5 in the quarter-final.
Vinesh Phogat suffered a loss in the quarter-final of the Budapest Ranking Series
In other news, Vinesh Phogat, the two-time world championships medallist, competed in the women’s 50 kg weight category and suffered a loss over Jiang Zhu from China by 0-5 in the quarter-final and failed to make it to the repechage rounds.
Earlier, Vinesh defeated Alisson Camila Cardozo Rey from Colombia by 10-0 in the Round of 16 bout. Vinesh, who usually takes part in the 53 kg weight category, switched to the 50 kg category since Antim Panghal secured the quota in that particular weight category.
In two days of the Budapest Ranking Series 2024, India clinched three silver medals. Earlier on Day 1, Aman Sehrawat also secured the silver medal in the men’s 57 kg freestyle event on June 6, Thursday.
Another woman wrestler Reetika Hooda will compete in the women’s 76 kg category on June 8, Saturday in the Budapest Ranking Series.