Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat wins women's 53kg gold medal at CWG
Birmingham, Aug 6: Putting aside the mental and physical struggles that pegged her back, an intimidating Vinesh Phogat pounced on her rivals to complete a hat-trick of CWG gold medals while Ravi Dahiya too went unchallenged in his gold-winning show, here on Saturday.
Vinesh became the first Indian woman wrestler to win three consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal.
In what was expected to be a tough opener against world championship bronze medallist Samantha Leigh Stewart, Vinesh reduced it to a no contest and finished it in mere 36 seconds.
Vinesh had the Canadian in a head lock from where she pushed her on the mat and in no time pinned her rival.
Even before people could warm up to the contest, it was all over.
Next up for the 27-year-old Vinesh was Nigeria's Mercy Bolafunoluwa Adekuoroye, who tried to resist a bit but soon the Indian had her in an iron grip. Vinesh kept her in that position for more than a minute in a magnificent show of power, winning 6-0.
With only four wrestlers in the women's 53kg draw, Vinesh now needed to beat Sri Lanka's Chamodya Keshani Maduravlage Don and she did it in style, winning 'by fall' to clinch her third successive gold.
Vinesh has been struggling for form and fitness ever since her defeat at the Tokyo Games, where she made a shock first-round exit after entering the field as the hot favourite for the gold medal.
Tokyo Games silver medallist Ravi was also too good for the 57kg field. He won both his bouts -- against Suraj Singh of New Zealand and Pakistan's Asad Ali -- by technical superiority en route the final.
In the final, Nigeria's Ebikewenimo Welson showed the intent to fight but the level at which Ravi wrestles, it was a tough task.
Ravi foiled a right leg attack and on next try of the Nigerian, he scored on counter-attack, effecting a take-down move with ease.
Soon he had trapped Welson in leg-lace and rolled him thrice for a 8-0 lead. Ravi completed the formality with another take-down.
Also fighting for gold is Naveen (74kg), who began with TSU wins over Nigeria's Ogbonna Emmanuel John, Singapore's Hong Yeow Lou and England's Charlie James Bowling.
He will next fight it out with Pakistan's Tahir Muhammad Sharif.
In women's 50kg, Pooja Gehlot made a confident start with a TSU win over Scotland's Christelle Lemofack Letchidjio and then got a walk over from Cameron's Rebecca Ndolo Muambo to make the semifinal stage with ease.
However, she lost the last-four clash 6-9 to Canada's Madison Bianca Parks and will now fight for bronze against the Scottish player. Since only six wrestlers featured in this category, it was competed in Nordic style where all wrestlers, divided into two groups, competed once against each other.
Pooja Sihag (76kg) is also in contention to win bronze. She is set to clash with Australia's Naomi de Bruine.
In men's freestyle 97kg, Deepak Nehra will fight for bronze. He will clash with Pakistan's Tayab Raza.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Nightclub fire: Goa court remands Luthra brothers in police custody for five days
Panaji (PTI): A court in North Goa on Wednesday remanded Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, in police custody for five days.
The brothers, brought to Goa from Delhi after being deported from Thailand in connection with the December 6 blaze that killed 25, were produced in the court after undergoing health check-ups twice at the District Hospital in North Goa.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Mapusa Puja Sardesai remanded the two brothers in police custody for five days.
Advocate Vishnu Joshi, representing Bhavana Joshi who lost four family members in the tragedy, said that the accused were asking for “special consideration” claiming poor health.
ALSO READ: Dharmasthala mass burial case: Accused Chinnayya expected to be released on Wednesday
“We said they should not be given any extra relaxation,” he said, adding that the court has taken cognisance of the fact that this is about the death of “25 people in the form of mass genocide”.
“But since they kept pressing for medical check-up, the court ordered reexamination of their health. It is clear in the medical examination that they don’t require any consideration. The accused sought special considerations in the lock-up like a good mattress, which the court refused,” said Joshi.
A team of the Goa Police, along with the Luthra brothers, arrived at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at 10.45 am.
The duo was initially taken to a Primary Health Centre at Siolim for medical examination. They were then taken to the District Hospital at Mapusa.
After their health assessment, the two were brought to the court.
The court directed that the accused be sent for fresh medical examination. Accordingly, the two were again taken to the District Hospital.
Later, they were produced before Judge Sardesai, who ordered the five-day police custody of the accused.
After the fire tragedy at Arpora village, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the Luthra brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The brothers were arrested in Delhi on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. A court there allowed the Goa Police their two-day transit remand.
ALSO READ: Woman threatens to end life as police official refuses to accept love proposal, FIR registered
The duo had fled to Phuket in Thailand early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.
