Asian Wrestling C'ships: Divya Kakran, Manju Kumari win bronze

Asian Games bronze medallist Divya Kakran and Manju Kumari grabbed a bronze medal each as India's women wrestlers began their campaign at the Asian Wrestling Championships in China on Thursday. Kakran (in 68 kg category) failed to make it to the final after going down to Feng Zhou of China 4-14 in the last-four clash. In the quarter-finals, she was on fire on the mat as she prevailed over Hong Thuy Nguyen of Vietnam 10-0. This was Kakran's first competition since coming back from an ankle injury.

"This was my first international outing since the ankle injury. Though I would have liked to win the gold medal, I will take lessons from here and will keep on working hard for the upcoming tournaments," said the 21-year-old grappler. In 59 kg, Manju was too powerful for Vietnam's Thi Huong Dao whom she convincingly defeated 11-2 in the bronze medal play-off. Manju had earlier tasted a 6-15 defeat at the hands of Battsetseg Altantsetseg of Mongolia in the semi-finals and got a chance to play the bronze medal contest. In the quarter-finals, she had emerged victorious over Kazakhstan's Madina Bakbergenova 5-3.

"I am really happy to win a medal at my first Asian Championships. I hope I can carry on from here and keep on achieving my goals," said Manju after her feat. However, Seema succumbed to a 5-11 defeat to Kazakhstan's Valentina Ivanovna Islamova Brik in the bronze medal play-off in 50 kg and had to finish her campaign without a medal.

Having lost to eventual champion Yuki Irie of Japan in the qualifying round, she got a chance to fight in the repechage bout after Irie made the final. Seema made no mistake in outgrappling Meng Hsuan Hsieh 10-2 to advance to the bronze medal contest. In 55 kg, Lalita failed to repeat her heroics from the 2015 Asian Championships when she had won the bronze. The 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist bowed out in the quarter-finals after losing 1-4 to Mongolia's Dulguun Bolormaa. 

(With inputs from agencies.)