By Vipul Kashyap
Amman [Jordan], August 19 : After creating history at the U20 World Wrestling Championships in Jordan, Antim Panghal expressed happiness and said she wants to dedicate her gold medal to her parents and coach.
Panghal bagged back-to-back women's U20 world titles, successfully defending her 53kg crown and becoming the first Indian woman to do so.
Reigning Junior World Champion Antim defeated Ukraine's Mariia Yefremova 4-0 to win a gold medal in the women's 53kg weight category. Her brute power and clever movements gained her a 4-0 victory. Panghal conceded only two points during the event, demonstrating her unequalled expertise and power.
"I want to dedicate this medal to my parents and coach because they have worked really hard for me. Because of them [parents and coach], I was able to win this medal. I am the first wrestler from India to win back-to-back gold in U20 World Wrestling Championships. And I hope to do more in future. It was difficult to focus but I have done a lot of work to win the medal," Antim Panghal told ANI.
Earlier, Panghal through a video communication raised questions over the exemption given to wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat for direct entry into the Asian Games 2023 by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) ad-hoc panel and said, "A fair trial should be conducted".
Meanwhile, ace Indian wrestler and Commonwealth Games medalist Vinesh Phogat on Tuesday said that she has pulled out of the upcoming Asian Games in China's Hangzhou. The wrestler, who was given an exemption from the Asian Games trials took to X, formerly known as Twitter to disclose that she has undergone successful knee surgery for an injury on Thursday.
"Before the Asian Games, I want to concentrate on World Championship. I wanted that those who are deserving should go to the Asian Games, not that she gets injured," she added.
Indian wrestler Priya Malik secured a gold medal at the ongoing U20 World Wrestling Championships being held in Jordan on Thursday, becoming the second Indian woman ever to clinch a gold in the competition.
Priya won the gold in the 76 kg category, defeating Germany's Laura Kuehn 5-0 in the gold medal bout. Previously, Antim Panghal had won a gold in the previous edition.
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