Sports

Antim Panghal Wins Bronze At World Wrestling Championships In Zagreb

Indian wrestler Antim Panghal etched her name in history by clinching the bronze medal in the 53kg category at the 2025 Senior World Wrestling Championship held in Zagreb. She became the first Indian woman wrestler after Vinesh Phogat to win multiple medals at the prestigious event.

Antim secured the bronze with an emphatic 9-1 victory over her Swedish opponent, replicating her earlier success in the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, where she also defeated the same rival 16-6 to claim bronze.

This marks a remarkable achievement as Indian women’s wrestlers have now earned at least one medal in the last three consecutive World Championships.

Panghal began her campaign dominantly, delivering a 10-0 technical superiority win against Spain’s Carla Jaume Soler in the pre-quarterfinals. She narrowly edged out China’s Zhang Jin 9-8 in a thrilling quarter-final match before falling 5-3 to Ecuador’s Paris 2024 silver medallist Lucía Yépez in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Asian champion Manisha Bhanwala in the 62kg women’s freestyle category missed the bronze medal opportunity after a 9-0 loss to Bulgaria’s Bilyana Dudova in the repechage round.

Greco-Roman Wrestlers Face Challenges

India’s Greco-Roman wrestlers struggled in Zagreb, with all four competitors losing their respective bouts. Anil Mor (55kg) was defeated 8-0 by four-time world champion Eldaniz Azizli of Azerbaijan in the pre-quarterfinals.

In the 77kg category, Aman succumbed 8-0 via technical superiority to Olympic champion Nao Kusaka of Japan.

Rahul, in the 82kg category, earned a point but lost 7-1 against Kazakhstan’s Almir Tolebayev, while Sonu, in the 130kg category, lost 8-0 to Croatian Olympian Marko Koščević.

India fielded a full-strength squad with entries in every weight category, but none of the men’s freestyle wrestlers secured a podium finish at the championships, which featured 30 gold medals across men’s and women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman events.

Antim Panghal’s success shines as a beacon of hope amid mixed results, showcasing India’s growing strength in women’s wrestling on the world stage.

Also Read: Sri Lanka Captain Vows To Raise Standards For Women’s World Cup

Geetanjali Mishra

Recent Posts

Bullet Discovery At Hyderabad Metro Sparks Police Investigation

A 9 mm bullet was found in a commuter’s bag at Hyderabad’s Moosapet Metro Station,…

1 hour ago

Neurosurgeon Reveals Everyday Habits That Gradually Harm Brain Health

Neurosurgeon Dr Richard Veyna warns that poor sleep, stress, inactivity, and sugary diets can harm…

3 hours ago

Amazon Diwali Sale: Last-Minute Smartphone Deals You Can Grab Before October 20

Amazon Diwali sale ends October 20; grab last-minute deals on Samsung, Apple, OnePlus, Realme, and…

3 hours ago

Government Extends GSTR-3B Filing Deadline By Five Days Owing To Festive Season

The government has extended the GSTR-3B filing deadline to 25 October 2025, giving taxpayers extra…

4 hours ago

Disrespectful And Insensitive: BJP Slams Akhilesh Yadav For Questioning Diwali Expenditure

The BJP on Sunday slammed Akhilesh Yadav for questioning Diwali diya spending, calling his remarks…

4 hours ago

Virat Kohli Returns To International Cricket; Claims Peak Fitness After Hiatus

Virat Kohli returns to international cricket for India’s ODI series in Australia, asserting peak fitness…

6 hours ago