Junior Wrestling World Championships: Antim Panghal, Savita, Antim Kundu in gold medal contention
India wrestlers' impressive run at the Junior Wrestling World Championships continues as three Indians are in contention for gold medal in different weight categories.
Defending champion Antim Panghal is just one win away from winning back-to-back titles. The 19-year-old will take on Ukraine's Mariia Yefremova in the final of the competition. In the semifinal, Panghal needed only 60 seconds to win against Polina Lukina by VSU, 12-0.
In the 62kg category, India's Savita will compete against Astrid Montero Chirinos for the gold medal on Friday, August 18. The Indian wrestler defeated France's Iris Thiebaux by VFA, 3-0, in the semifinal to move to the gold medal match. Savita's toughest battle came in the quarterfinal, where she had a close finish of 8-6 against Japan's Suzu Sasaki.
This is the fourth championship final in two months for Savita. The 17-year-old clinched the gold medal at the U23-U17 Asian Championships in June 2023. She followed it up with another gold medal at the U20-U15 Asian Championships in July 2023. At the U17 World Championships in Turkey, she defeated Japan's Ono Konami to win yet another gold medal. Savita is unbeaten in 11 matches in the 2023 season.
18-Year-Old Antim Kundu is in contention for the gold medal as well. She defeated Ekaterina Koshkina by VPO1, 9-5, to set up a clash with Hungary's Eniko Elekes. Notably, this is the second championship final in two months for Kundu.
Harshita to compete for bronze medal in Junior Wrestling World Championships
India's Harshita will be in action for the bronze medal match in the Junior Wrestling World Championships for 72kg. The Indian youngster lost her semifinal bout to Bukrenaz Sert of Turkey by VFA, 2-1. She will face the winner of the Repechage match between Switzerland's Julia Loetscher and Emilia Creciun.
Earlier in the day, Priya clinched the gold medal by defeating Germany's Laura Kuehn by 5-0 via VPO. In the 68kg category, Arju clinched the bronze medal by defeating Elif Sevval Kurt of Turkey via VPO1, 8-1. She lost her semifinal match to Elizaveta Petliakova by VPO1, 6-3, in the Junior Wrestling World Championships.