Gold Coast (Australia): India’s Pooja Dhanda finished with the silver medal in the women’s 57 kilogram wrestling category at the 21st Commonwealth Games (CWG) here on Friday.
Pooja lost 5-7 to defending champion Odunayo Adekuoroye of Nigeria in the final. The Nigerian had won the title at the 2014 CWG in Glasgow as well.
In the women’s 68kg class, Divya Kakran defeated Sherin Sultana of Bangladesh by fall to take a bronze medal.
Pooja was in trouble in the first round as Odunayo took a formidable 6-1 lead. The Indian had almost pulled off a pin in the closing stages of the first period, but the defending champion managed to wriggle out of trouble.
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Pooja staged a strong fight back after the break. She pulled off a couple of two-point moves to outscore the Nigerian by a 4-1 margin in the second round. But Odunayo managed to hold on to retain the title.
Earlier, Pooja had defeated Joseph Tiako of Cameroon 11-5 in the semi-finals.
Pooja took the lead in the opening minute of the first period with a two-point takedown.
With the African trying to stage a desperate fightback, Pooja displayed some excellent counter-attack techniques to take a sizeable 9-2 lead into the break.
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Tiako dominated the second round with her strong, aggresive style. Pooja however, used her superior technique to hold on to her lead.
However, it was curtains for Divya Kakran in the women’s 68kg event as she lost by technical superiority to Nigeria’s Blessing Oborududu.
The 19-year-old from Delhi was no match for the more experienced Blessing as the Nigerian opened up a 11-1 lead in the second round to clinch the issue.
IANS
