India’s Kajal Dhochak (76kg) and Neelam Sirohi (50kg) ended their World Wrestling Championships campaign with a silver each, losing their finals in contrasting styles in Astana on Wednesday.
Up against Japanese legend Yui Susaki, Neelam was pinned inside the first period after trailing 0-5. This was the second meeting between the two following Susaki’s 11-0 demolition of Neelam at the Asian Championships in Bishkek this April.
By contrast, Kajal gave a better account of herself on her Worlds debut. Competing against Ukraine’s double European champion Anastasiya Alpyeyeva, the 18-year-old Indian lost 6-8 in the dying seconds.
Anastasiya took the early lead with a step-out point following which Kajal was put on the clock. The 2-0 lead, however, was short lived with Kajal getting one back via a push-out of her own and a passivity point at the Ukrainian’s expense. The attritional first period ended in a 2-2 deadlock.
Both wrestlers showed urgency in the second period, with Anastasiya effecting a two-point throw. Kajal responded with a double leg takedown to draw level and with the clock winding down, held the advantage on criterion.
With less than 20 seconds left, Anastasiya managed to breach Kajal’s defence and produced two 2-point throws in succession to jump to an 8-4 advantage. Kajal, who had come back from a 1-7 scoreline in her semi-final win against Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy on Tuesday, won two points but Anastasiya managed to hold on for a narrow win.
The result means India’s wait for a women’s gold at the World Championships continues with Anshu Malik’s silver medal from Oslo Worlds in 2021 being the other final appearance for the Indians.