Antim survives last-second move to semis

Antim Panghal kept India’s medal hopes alive at the World Wrestling Championships here on Wednesday, surviving a nail-biting encounter against China’s Jin Zhang to storm into the women’s 53kg semifinals. Meanwhile, compatriots Jyoti Beriwal (72kg) and Radhika (68kg) bowed out, ending their campaigns on day five of the tournament.

Antim, eyeing her second World Championship medal, began her campaign with a stunning 23-second win over Spain’s Carla Jaume Soner but faced a much sterner test against Zhang. The Indian wrestler opened the scoring with a two-pointer for a double-leg take-down, followed by a head-lock converted into another take-down. A body-lock move near the edge of the circle added another two points, giving her a 6-0 lead.

Zhang fought back in the second period, closing the gap and even briefly taking an 8-6 lead after rolling Antim and attempting a pin. But with under 20 seconds remaining, Antim executed a decisive move in the dying seconds to clinch a 9-8 victory, setting up a semifinal clash with Paris Olympics silver medallist Lucia Yepez Guzman of Ecuador.

Elsewhere, Manisha Bhanwala fell 0-8 to North Korea’s Ok Ju Kim in the quarterfinals. Her hopes of a medal remain alive if Kim reaches the final, which would grant Manisha a repechage opportunity.

In contrast, Radhika and Jyoti could not progress beyond their respective weight categories, ending India’s campaign in those divisions. Antim’s tenacity, however, ensures that India still has a strong contender in the hunt for a podium finish in the women’s 53kg category.