CWG 2022: Golden hat-trick for Vinesh Phogat; Ravi Dahiya, Naveen Sihag prove too strong for field in wrestling gold rush | Commonwealth Games 2022 News

COVENTRY: Gold, gold, gold! 2014, 2018, 2022. That’s wrestler Vinesh Phogat‘s Commonwealth Games medal streak.
Vinesh entered the arena in her final round-robin bout against Sri Lanka’s Chamodya Maduravlage Don amid a buzz among the spectators. Then, a silent prayer by touching the mat and placing her fingers back on her forehead. Then exactly two minutes 24 seconds later, the Tricolor was draped around her as she took a victory lap around the Coventry Stadium wrestling hall.

Vinesh had won four technical points in those 144 seconds, but the victory came by ‘fall’ after she had her opponent pinned.
CWG 2022 DAY 9: AS IT HAPPENED
The grappler from the famed Phogat household had won all her bouts in cruise control. With only four wrestlers competing in 53kg weight category, the medals were decided in Nordic format – a round-robin format unlike a knockout one in all other weight categories.

Vinesh reduced her opening bout against the 2021 world championships bronze medallist Samantha Leigh Stewart to a no-contest and finished it in a mere 36 seconds. Vinesh had the Canadian in a headlock from where she pushed her on the mat and in no time had her rival pinned. Even before people could warm up to the contest, it was all over.
Next up for 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 show of absolute power. The result was another easy win.
Does yet another CWG gold mean Vinesh has exorcised the demons that crept after the Tokyo Olympics? She had unexpectedly crashed out in the quarterfinals, losing by fall to Vanesa Kaladzinskaya of Belarus in the Tokyo Games.

Her loss evoked a spate of criticism – from the Wrestling Federation of Indiamedia, coaches, fans etc. The federation even suspended her temporarily. Charges flew thick and fast, ranging from Vinesh refusing to stay with the Indian contingent to her not wearing the name of the official sponsor of the Indian team. The wrestler’s Hungarian coach was also accused of misusing government funds.
All this made Vinesh think about her wrestling future and she “contemplated retirement” from the sport. She also went on to write an article, stating how her struggles in Tokyo accentuated due to the absence of her regular physio, who wasn’t given accreditation for the Tokyo Games by the Indian Olympic Association. Vinesh also admitted to “suffering from depression” in the past.
The Asian Games next year will be a bigger test for her. A good show there will prove she is truly back on track.
All too easy for Ravi
After his Olympic silver, the CWG was surely going to be a stroll in the park for Ravi Dahiya. And it proved to be exactly that. Ravi waltzed to his first CWG gold in his maiden appearance in the Games, coasting to a win against Nigeria’s Ebikewenimo Welson (10-0) in just two minutes and 16 seconds by gaining a technical superiority over his opponent.
The gulf in the event was so much that Dahiya is ranked 36 places above silver winner Welson Ebikewenimo in the world rankings.

Dahiya’s medal quest began with an easy victory over Suraj Singh of New Zealand in the quarters. It took him just 74 seconds to race to a 10-0 lead and win the bout by technical superiority.
In the semifinal, Ravi faced a tougher challenge from Pakistan’s Ali Asad but the Indian prevailed by a 14-4 scoreline and once again won by technical superiority in three minutes, 17 seconds.

Naveen gets India’s 6th wrestling gold
Naveen Sihag put in a strong show against Pakistan’s Muhammad Sharif Tahir in the men’s 74kg final to win by a 9-0 scoreline and clinch the gold medal. This was India’s sixth gold in the wrestling events at the 2022 CWG. Overall, India won medals in all 12 categories (6 gold, 1 silver, 5 bronze) it participated in at the Games.