Asian Games Wrestling: Sonam Malik, Kiran Bishnoi win bronze

Indian wrestlers Sonam Malik and Kiran Bishnoi clinched bronze medals in the women's wrestling at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China on Friday.

Sonam, who plays in the 62 kg category, defeated local wrestler Jia Long in a tightly fought bronze medal match to secure another bronze in wrestling for India.

Both wrestlers were locked 4-4 in the match with the Chinese having the advantage of scoring the last point but Sonam executed an important takedown with just 25 seconds left on the clock to emerge as the winner with a score of 7-5.

Earlier in the day, Sonam started well as she outclassed Nepal's Sushila Chand and Cambodia's Noeurn Soeurn, winning both bouts by technical superiority in less than a minute.

In the semi-finals, Sonam was pinned by the North Korean wrestler Hyongyong Mun as she couldn't score any points. She went through the repechage route to win the bronze medal.

In the 76 kg category, Kiran Bishnoi won the bronze medal after beating Mongolia's Ariunjargal Ganbat 6-3.

In the 11-wrestler women's 76kg category, Kiran got a bye in her opening round and got the better of Japan's young wrestler Nodoka Yamomoto 3-0 in the last-eight clash, to sail into the semifinals.

In the next round, she was pinned by Kazakhstan's Zhamila Bakbergenova.

This is India's fourth wrestling bronze medal for India in this edition of the Games with Sunil Kumar (Greco Roman) and Antim Panghal (women's 53kg) winning earlier.