World junior wrestling: Tapsya wins gold in 57kg, Srishti silver in 68kg

young young delhi: native american rassling has unearthed new talents at the World Junior Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria. Four Indian girls have stormed into the final of the U20 Worlds in the last two days, showing India’s depth and class.

On Wednesday, Tapsya was up against Norway’s Felicitas Domajeva in the 57kg final and went on to clinch the world junior title with a clinical performance. The 18-year-old showed good defensive skills and a flair for attack to come out a 5-2 winner. In fact, Tapsya had stunned Japan’s defending champion Sowaka Uchida in a nail-biting 4-3 win on Tuesday.

Tapsya entered the title contest with confidence. Domajeva, the first Norwegian wrestler to enter the World U20 Championships final, gave a tough fight with her fast attacks, but Tapsya was up to the task. She logged one point of passivity in the first period and then scored a series of takedowns in the second to clinch the title.

It has been a whirlwind five weeks for Tapsya, having won both senior and junior world selection trials at the IG Stadium in back-to-back weeks. She will now be making her debut at the Senior World Championships in Croatia from September 13-21. The girl from Jhajjar won the U20 Asian Championships earlier this year, and came through some strong competitors in the domestic selection trials. “I learn from every bout and I want to keep going till the end,” she had then told HT.

India has been represented in the 57kg weight division in the last two Olympics through Anshu Malik, the 2021 World Championships medallist. But with Anshu unable to reproduce her form this season, a bunch of youngsters have shown the fire and hunger to take the mantle. With this victory, Tapsya has taken a big leap forward.

Two years ago, her family shifted to Sonepat where she trains at the Yudhvir Akhada, an all-girls academy. “Her father is a farmer and the family has shifted to Sonepat for her wrestling. She is hardworking,” said coach Seema Kharab.

Till now, Antim Panghal was the only Indian female wrestler to win the world junior title, and she did it twice.

In the 68kg final, Srishti lost to Japan’s Ray Hoshino 10-0. Two other finalists, Priya Malik (76kg) and Reena (55kg), will compete in their finals on Thursday.

Reena, the Asian U20 and U23 champion, defeated Alexandra Voiculescu by technical superiority in the semi-finals. She will take on Everest Shea Leydecker of the US in the final.

In 76kg, Priya defeated Evelin Ujhelji of Serbia 10-0 in the semis. She will take on Nadiia Sokolovska of Ukraine in the final.

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