Star Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Sunday clinched the Gold medal in the women’s 53-kg category at the 24th Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial in Kyiv, Ukraine.
The Indian champion pinned 2017 world champion Vanesa Kaladzinskay to grab the gold medal.
Up against World No. 7 Belarusian, it was not an easy bout for the World No. 3 Indian. The two wrestlers kept testing each other with consistent attacks in the see-saw battle.
Wrestler Vinesh opened up a 4-0 lead in the 53-kg final with a throw which she initiated with a left-leg attack but Kaladzinskay made it 4-4 with her brilliant move. Vinesh took the break leading 6-4, adding to her score with a takedown, 10 seconds before the break.
Brilliant to get back on the mat and into competition mode! Great workout on the mat against! Quite happy with how things went for me????but as always, found some areas where I need to improve! That’s d beauty of competing! Always lots of lessons 2 take back and work on perfecting! pic.twitter.com/xjCMzwhhyn
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) March 1, 2021
Since last year, the Covid-19 halted all International and National competitions. This was the first competition for Vinesh, the only Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for the Tokyo Games.
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