Hansika, Neha win bronze, Meenakshi storms into final at Asian Wrestling Championships

India’s women wrestlers continued their impressive campaign at the S enior Asian Wrestling Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with Hansika Lamba and Neha securing bronze medals , while Meenakshi Goyat staged a dramatic comeback to reach the final in her category on Thursday.

Competing in the women’s 55kg bronze medal bout , the 19 year old Hansika showed patience and tactical control against Kyrgyzstan’s Aruuke Kadyrbek Kyzy . After a cautious opening round, the Indian wrestler launched a decisive leg attack early in the second round to score a takedown and take the lead. Building on the advantage, she maintained pressure to seal a convincing 6-1 victory and claim the bronze medal.

India’s medal tally received another boost when Neha dominated Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuu in the women’s 59kg bronze medal playoff . Wrestling aggressively from the start, Neha controlled the bout and secured a comfortable 10-4 win , adding another podium finish for the Indian contingent.

The day’s biggest moment, however, came from two time national champion Meenakshi Goyat , who delivered a remarkable performance in the 53kg semifinal . Facing South Korea’s Seoyoung Park , Meenakshi was trailing 0-2 with just 30 seconds remaining in the bout. In a stunning turnaround, she executed a four point throw , instantly shifting the momentum in her favour before holding on defensively to secure her place in the final.

Meenakshi, who had earlier earned her spot in the national squad by defeating World Championships bronze medallist Antim Panghal , will now face China’s Jin Zhang in the gold medal match. Zhang advanced to the final after defeating Japan’s Moe Kiyooka by fall .

India will have more medal opportunities on Friday. Harshita (72kg) and Monika (65kg) will compete in bronze medal bouts after falling short in the semifinals and quarterfinals respectively. Meanwhile, Minakshi (57kg) and Mansi (62kg) remain in contention through the repechage rounds , keeping India’s medal hopes alive as the championship enters its final stages.

The strong performances once again highlight the growing depth of India’s women’s wrestling, with several young wrestlers stepping up on the continental stage.