Dahiya wrestles his way into the finals, assuring India of at least a silver
- EP News Service
- Aug 04, 2021
NEW DELHI: India's freestyle wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya entered the men's freestyle 57 kg wrestling final by pinning Kazakhstan's Nurislam Sanayev to win the semi-final bout at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Dahiya became the only second Indian wrestler in history after Sushil Kumar, who had entered the 2012 London Olympics final but ended up winning silver and is now assured of winning at least a silver medal for India in the game.
Starting with a lead of 2-1 in the first period, he trailed 2-9 in the second as Sanayev defied his head injury affecting super leg lace moves to roll Dhaiya over trice with a double-leg hold bagging quick 6 points on the score.
Although pinned down and with a huge deficit on points, almost staring his defeat Dahiya however did not lose his composure and did magic in the remaining one minute enough to turn the tide.
He staged a fantastic comeback with a reduction of points deficit to 5-9 and then pinning the Kazakh wrestler down in the last minutes to eventually win the bout in a 'victory by fall'.
In a repeat of an incident when Indian wrestler Sushil Kumar was accused of biting his opponent Akhzurek of Kazak in semis of 2012 London Olympics, Dahiya had to also endure a painful bite on his biceps from Sanayev on his right bicep when he had pinned him down, the television footage clearly showed the deep bite mark.
Earlier, the Indian beat Pan American silver medallist Colombian Oscar Tigreros 13-2 and Bulgarian Georgi Vangelov 14-4 on technical superiority to make the last four.
Twenty-three years old Dahiya will face twenty-six years old Russian Olympic Committee's (ROC) two-time world champion Zaur Rizvanovich Uguev in the final gold medal bout on Thursday.
Dahiya had defeated Colombia's Oscar Tigreros by technical superiority to secure a quarterfinal spot. The 23-year-old Dahiya showed no nerves as he dominated the bout to win 13-2.
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