Bajrang settles for silver, Otoguro becomes youngest World Champ from Japan
Budapest (Hungary), Oct 22: Bajrang Punia's bid to become only the second Indian to win a gold medal at the World Championship fell flat as a tactically superior Takuto Otoguro of Japan stunned the Indian in the 65kg final, here on Monday.
Only the fourth Indian ever to make it to the World Championship gold medal match, 24-year-old Bajrang was rattled by the 19-year old Otoguro, who consistently attacked the left leg of Indian and emerged a comfortable 16-9 winner.
In the process, Otoguro became Japan's youngest World Champion at the age of 19.
Legendary Yuji Takada, who won gold at 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, had become youngest World Champion from Japan at the age of 20 in 1974.
A four-point throw gave Otoguro an early 5-0 lead, leaving Bajrang to play a catch-up game. With back-to-back takedowns, the Indian reduced the deficit to 4-5.
The Japanese got more points with a step out and led 7-6 at the break.
An early take down at the start of second period handed Otoguro a 9-6 lead. The Japanese kept attacking Bajrang's left leg, a strategy which the Indian struggled to counter.
The Commonwealth Games and Asian Games gold medallist Bajrang eventually had to settle for a silver, which is his second medal at the Worlds. He had won a bronze in 2013 edition.
Sushil Kumar, country's greatest ever wrestler, is the lone Indian to win a gold medal at the World's, achieving the feat in 2010 in Moscow in the 66kg category.
Apart from Sushil, Amit Dahiya (2013) and Bishambar Singh (1967) are the other Indians to make it to the World Championship final in men's freestyle.
Udey Chand (bronze, 1961), Ramesh Kumar (bronze, 2009), Narsingh Yadav (2015) are the other men's freestyle wrestlers to win a medal at the World Championship.
Among female grapplers, only Babita Phogat (bronze, 2012), Geeta Phogat (2012), Alka Tomar (bronze, 2006) are the medal winners at Worlds.
Meanwhile, in the men's free style 70kg category, Praveen Rana won his first bout against Jarvissadam Blesam Tarkong by technical superiority but suffered an identical defeat against Uzbekistan's Ikhtiyor Navruzov in the pre-quarter finals.
In the 97kg, Mausam Khatri was knocked out by Venezuela's Jose Daniel Diaz Robertti 2-12 in the Qualification round.
In the women's event, Sarita won her bouts in the 59kg against Korea's Bobae Kim (8-1) and Ukraine's Sofiia Bodnar (4-0) but lost the quarterfinal by technical superiority to Shoovdor Baatarjav Jav.
However, Seema could not win even one bout in 55kg, losing her pre-quarterfinal to Mongolia's Davaachimeg Erkhembayar by technical superiority.
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2 men dragged for 300 metres by truck in Agra; locals save their lives
Agra, Dec 23: A truck driver dragged two people for about 300 metres in Agra under his vehicle, police on Monday said.
Some locals forced the driver to stop the truck and extricated the men from under the vehicle.
Police arrested the driver and seized the truck.
The two men, both residents of Nunhai in Agra, were going towards Rambagh from Waterworks when they met with an accident around 11 pm Sunday.
The driver, instead of stopping the truck sped up, trapping both of them underneath, police said.
"In the accident, two youths were dragged by a canter driver for about 300 metres. Later, some residents saved the youths by stopping the driver using force," Chhatta Police Station Inspector Pramod Kumar told PTI.
"The youths were sent for treatment at a nearby hospital and are still being treated, but are in stable condition. The youths were from Agra. The canter driver was arrested and the canter seized after the incident," he said.
A video of the incident that surfaced on social media showed the men shouting for help.
The video was purported to have been shot by a person passing by on a two-wheeler.
“पिछली पोस्ट में वीडियो में युवकों को मोटर साइकल सहित ट्रक वाला कई मीटर तक घसीटता हुआ ले जाता गया देखा था,
— Umashankar Singh उमाशंकर सिंह (@umashankarsingh) December 23, 2024
अब जनता द्वारा उस ट्रक ड्राइवर की ठुकाई पिटाई का समारोह देखिए।”#Agra@madanjournalist
pic.twitter.com/Qh5ncyWtEa
HORRIFYING!
— Sanjay Kishore (@saintkishore) December 23, 2024
In Agra, a truck driver dragged two men for 300 meters. Locals intervened, stopping the truck and saving the men. Both are stable but continue receiving treatment. The driver has been arrested and the truck seized.
pic.twitter.com/1ply5wemfX
