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World Wrestling Championships: Pooja Dhanda Enters Semis, Can Become First Indian Female Grappler To Win Two Medals

Pooja Dhanda had won a bronze medal at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships. She reached the semifinals in this year's edition, in 59kg.

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World Wrestling Championships: Pooja Dhanda Enters Semis, Can Become First Indian Female Grappler To Win Two Medals
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Pooja Dhanda gave herself a chance to become India's only female wrestler to win two World Championships medals on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian wrestler to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

Pooja Dhanda reached the semifinals in 59kg, which is non-Olympic category.

Pooja, who won a bronze at the 2018 Worlds in Budapest, turned it around remarkably against Japan's Yuzuka Inagaki after trailing 0-5.

She got back in the match but was still behind 4-7. From there, the Indian pulled off a sensational move, slipping from under the Japanese to go behind for a take-down.

With just 40 seconds left, Pooja was still behind but soon pulled off a four-point move to take the lead and then held on to that to ensure her passage into semifinals.

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She beat Belarus' Katsiaryna Hanchar by technical superiority in her pre-quarterfinal and now faces Russian Liubov Ovcharova, the 2017 European champion.

Pooja had become only the fourth Indian to win a Worlds medal at Budapest last year and now can become the first female wrestler to win two.

Only Bajrang Punia has two medals to show at Worlds.

Seema Bisla, however, missed Olympic qualification in 50kg after losing her second repechage round 3-11 to Russia's Ekaterina Poleshchuk.

In the 76kg, Kiran had rattled her German opponent Aline Rotter to lead 4-0 but lost five points in a row in the second period to lose the opening bout 4-5.

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She paid the price for being over-defensive but still has a chance to get into repechage since the German is still alive.

Much was expected from Sarita Mor after her shock victory over Pooja Dhanda in the trials but she was far from her usual aggressive self on Wednesday.

Up against Moldova's Anastasia Nichita, she remained defensive, losing the 57kg Qualification bout 1-5.

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