Haryana Hammers reach PWL semis
New Delhi Jan 20 (IANS) Asian championship silver medallist Sumit Malik overcame Satender Malik to guide Haryana Hammers to a tense 4-3 win over Mumbai Maharathi in the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) contest at the Siri Fort Indoor Stadium here on Saturday.
Tied 3-3 Satender played with flair and determination to stave off his compatriot and win the crucial bout 4-0 to help his side seal a spot in the semi-finals.
Down 2-3 and looking at an imminent defeat Mumbai s icon player Sakshi Malik kept them alive thwarting a stiff challenge from Sarita Mor to make it 3-3 in the tie. Rio Olympics bronze medalist Sakshi won 5-4.
In the fifth bout of the day World Championship runner-up Khetik Tsabolov underlined his superiority with a comprehensive 16-0 victory over India s Praveen Dahiya in the 74-kg competition. Khetik looked to be at his dominating best and ran past his opponent within just two minutes to put his team in a strong position.
Earlier in the day Hammers after winning the day chose to block Satyawart Kadian while Mumbai used their card to keep Pooja out of action.
Russia s Soslan Ramonov got Mumbai off to a winning start after he picked up a dominating 15-1 victory over India s Harphool in the 65 kg competition.
Olympics bronze medalist Sun Yanan of China drew level for Haryana in the next bout after she got past India s Seema Bisla in the 50 kg women s competition. Sun has been in stellar form in this year s tournament and she once again asserted her supremacy with a convincing 9-4 win.
Olympic champion Vladimir Khinchegashvili pulled off a stunning 8-2 victory over Mongolia Eedenebatyn Bekhbayar of Mongolia in the 57 kg contest to help Haryana Hammers surge 2-1 ahead in the early stages.
In the fourth bout of the day Nigeria s Odunayo Adekuoroye beat Pooja Gahlot 4-2 in the 57 kg women s event to help Mumbai restore parity. Pooja who came in as a replacement for World champion Helen Maroulis was no match for the Nigerian as she went down 2-4 via fall in a rather meek fashion.
--IANS
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