Rohit Dahiya loses bronze medal bout in Asian Championships

Wrestler Rohit Dahiya lost his bronze medal bout to a top-ranked Uzbek grappler as India finished their Greco-Roman campaign at the Asian Championships without a single podium finish on Tuesday.

On a day when all other Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers continued to struggle, Dahiya (82kg) was the only one to enter the bronze medal round, but he lost to Mukhammadkodir Rasulov, ranked No.1 here, on points.

The other three wrestlers on show on Tuesday, Parvesh (60kg), Vinayak Siddheshwar Patil (67kg) and Ankit Gulia (72kg), got eliminated in the preliminary rounds.

However, Dahiya, who had represented the country in the 2022 World U-20 Championships in Sofia, despite losing his quarterfinal bout to Japan’s Yoshida Taizo on points 7-2, made it to the bronze medal round as the opponent he had lost to made it to the final.

In the 60kg category, Parvesh lost his pre-quarterfinal bout by technical superiority to Kazakhstan’s Galym Kabdunassarov, while Hanjae Chung of South Korea overcame Vinayak Patil 7-1 on points in the 67kg category quarterfinal.

In 72kg category, Kazakhstan’s Adilkhan Satayev inflicted a victory by fall on Ankit Gulia in the qualification round.

On Monday, five Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers -- Arjun Halakurki (55kg), Umesh (63kg), Sajan (77kg), Ajay (87kg) and Mehar Singh (130kg) -- lost in the preliminary rounds.

The Indian women wrestlers have won six medals -- three silver and as many bronze -- in the competition, while in men’s freestyle events, the country bagged a silver through Udit (57kg).

Abhimanyu (70kg) and Vicky (97kg) clinched bronze medals in their respective categories.