New Delhi: Divya Kakran (68 kg) on Thursday stormed into the final of her weight class at the 2020 Asian Wrestling Championships, beating Japanese junior world champion Naruha Matsuyuki along the way.
She is one of the four Indian wrestlers to have assured themselves of at least a silver medal on the first day of the women’s wrestling bouts at the competition which is underway in New Delhi alongwith Nirmala Devi (50 kg), Pinki (55 kg)and Sarita Mor (59 kg).
Divya was dominant in the qualification rounds, beating all four of her opponents by fall. She first routed Kazakhstan’s Albina Kairgelinova before pinning Mongolian Delgermaa Enkksaikhan.
She then beat Uzbekistan’s Azoda Esbergenova with a pin in a bout that lasted all of 27 seconds. Divya was then leading 4-0 at the end of the first period of her bout against Matsuyuki by first effecting a take down and then getting an exposure.
Matsuyaki made a strong start to the second period and managed to level the score. However, Divya managed to extract a victory by fall to seal her place in the final.
Sarita beat Kazakhstan wrestlers Madina Bakbergenova and Nazira Marsbekkyzy before Japan’s Yuumi Kon. She now faces Mongolia’s Battseteg Attlantsetseg in what is her first time participating in a competition since winning a silver in 2017.
Pinki first beat Uzbekistan’s Shokida Akhmedova by fall before losing to Japan’s Kana Higashikawa. In the semi-final, she beat Kazakhstan’s Marina Zuyeva and she now faces Mongolia’s Dulguun Bolormaa in the final.
