ASTANA (KAZAKHSTAN), OCT 25 (PTI): Lalit missed out on a chance to win a rare Greco-Roman World Championships medal for India after being outplayed in his bronze play-off while three of his compatriots bowed out after falling at the first step, here Sunday.
Up against Kazakhstan’s Iskhar Kurbayev in the bronze medal bout, Lalit lost by technical superiority. Kurbayev effected a four-pointer and then executed a lift to end the bout in a jiffy. Lalit had reached the medal round after winning his repechage round 7-0 against American Max Emiliano Nowry in the morning session. Sandeep Tulsi Yadav is the only Indian Greco Roman wrestler to win a World Championship medal in 2013, claiming a bronze.
It was a disappointing day for other three Indian wrestlers as well, including Asian Games silver medallist Nitesh Siwach, who failed to progress beyond their opening bouts.
Siwach, competing in the 97kg category, was outclassed by Germany’s Anton Vieweg, who executed a four-point throw in each period to bring the contest to an end by technical superiority.
Karanjit (72kg) suffered a narrow 2-3 defeat against Japan’s Rintaro Sogabe in his qualification bout. Karanjit had an advantageous ‘par terre’ position but failed to capitalise on it, with Sogabe instead scoring on the counter-attack to edge past the Indian. In the 130kg category, Joginder Rathee ran into Turkish wrestling great Riza Kayaalp, the reigning European champion, and was comprehensively beaten.
Kayaalp produced three consecutive exposure moves before finishing the bout with a gut wrench, announcing his comeback to world after three years in style.
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