U17 World Wrestling Championships: Rachana, Ashvini Clinch Gold; Moni Settles For Silver
India had a stellar day at the U17 World Wrestling Championships on Thursday, with Rachana (43kg) and Ashvini Vishnoi (65kg) capturing gold medals in the women's competition, while Moni (57kg) narrowly missed the top spot, settling for silver.
Rachana delivered a commanding performance in the 43kg final, defeating China's Xin Huang with a confident 3-0 scoreline. Equally impressive, Ashvini blanked Uzbekistan's Mukhayyo Rakhimjonova by the same 3-0 margin to claim the 65kg crown.
Moni Falls Just Short of Gold
In the 57kg final, Moni put up a valiant fight but lost by the narrowest of margins, going down 5-6 to Kazakhstan's Madkhiya Usmanova. Despite the defeat, Moni's silver medal capped a strong campaign.
Komal Claims Bronze with Aggressive Display
Komal Verma added to India's medal tally with a bronze in the 49kg category, defeating Anhelina Burkina 8-3. Komal's aggressive tactics and offensive mindset paid off in the bronze medal bout.
Not all Indian wrestlers reached the podium. Preeti Yadav (40kg) and Kasish Gurjar (46kg) exited in the quarterfinals, losing to Maisie Anna Claire Elliot and Jaclyn Rose Bouzakis, respectively. In the 53kg category, Saarika also bowed out in the quarterfinals, falling to Japan's Rion Ogawa.
(with PTI inputs)
view comments
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Indian shuttlers haven't lived up to their potential: Gopichand
Nagpur: Legendary badminton coach Pullela Gopichand minced no words while assessing the current state of Indian badminton, stating that most players have not yet fulfilled their true potential. Speaking at a talk organised under the Orange City Literature Festival by Raisoni Foundation, Gopichand called out a culture of complacency and over-celebration that he believes is hurting long-term performance. Gopi Chand, who is a Dronacharya awardee, said, "You might be World No.1, you might stay there for years, but if you don't live up to your full potential, you've still failed." The coach also emphasised that real success lies in sustained excellence — not just a few wins. "Look at Lee Chong Wei — 11 consecutive Malaysian Open titles. That's dominance. That's what I call good performance. We must chase performance, not just medals," he said, adding that Indian shuttlers often 'over-celebrate average wins' and lose consistency as a result. The former shuttler, who has the prestigious All England Open title under his belt, added that the system often focuses only on the top five players, while ignoring the next 40 who also need mentoring. "Every coach wants to train the top five, who seem likely to win championships. But the rest are often left behind. That's not how it should work," he said. Gopichand also believes the country has only scratched the surface of its true badminton capability. "In 1994, we didn't even qualify for the Commonwealth Games. Now we've won the Thomas Cup. But there's so much more we can do. If India isn't on top, we must blame ourselves and this impotent system." He stressed that while every athlete wants to win, sport is inherently brutal. "Only one can be No.1. That doesn't make the others losers. The expectations we place on athletes are unrealistic. We must begin celebrating the effort, not just the outcome." Reflecting on his coaching philosophy, Gopichand said he tailors his approach to the needs of his students. "What works for them is what I'll follow. Many coaches never switch out of player mode — but coaching is about adapting." He also reminded young athletes not to be too harsh on themselves. "Don't cry after every loss. Learn from it. It's a sport. The nature of competition is tough." Recalling the early struggles, he said, "My coach Hamid Hussain never taught me technique — he just taught me to love the sport. That's what mattered. We weren't poor, but we didn't have a rupee to spare. Still, I never saw it as a sacrifice — it was always love for the game." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
‘Train differently, reinvent yourself to get consistent results'
Nagpur: Central India's first professional badminton training facility, following the model of India's most successful Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad, was inaugurated by none other than the former All England Champion himself on Thursday. Chief national badminton coach Gopichand was in the city to inaugurate the academy set up by his students, Arundhati Pantawane and SR Arun Vishnu. The inaugural function of the Arundhati Arun Badminton Academy (AABA) at Besa was a reunion and an emotional moment for the trio of Indian stars. In his address to the audience, Gopichand urged parents to be sympathetic towards their kids if they fail. He said, "For all of us, it's very important to realise that in sport, winning and losing is normal. Parents have to understand this more than the students. Players should think, 'I have to win at all costs'. The parents should be sympathetic, should behave like fans, and say it's okay to lose." He added, "Your dharma as an athlete is to try your best. Your dharma as a coach is to give your best. Your dharma as a parent is to support them the best." Sharing his success mantra, he said, "When people with the right effort, mindset, and body come to the right teacher, then the magic happens. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Are you ready to conquer a planet? Undo If it comes to you and the magic doesn't happen, then you have to curse yourself as a coach because you've not done your due as an athlete. If you have the ability to become the best in the world and you are a national champion, you have to be very critical of yourself because you had the potential and you couldn't achieve what you could." Gopichand was full of praise for his students, who are following in his footsteps. He said, "After their first innings as successful players, they started their second innings as a coach, and today they made me achieve my third innings as a mentor to coaches. I am so happy that Arun and Arundhati have started this entire process." Later, speaking to the media about the performance of Nagpur's Malvika Bansod and what the next generation of Indian shuttlers should do for consistent results, Gopichand said, "I would not like to take names, but I think realistically we have about 6-7 players in the top 20 of the world. We have expectations from them. I do believe that every player should play international tournaments, and to get consistent results, these youngsters need to reinvent themselves in every tournament, and I think that is where the real challenge lies. " He explained, "When you win some good matches, upset higher-ranked players, then your opponent will take you seriously, start preparing for you, start respecting you. When this happens, then it's your turn to train differently. If you do this, then you will start getting consistent results." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Jurel to lead Central Zone in Duleep Trophy
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh's Dhruv Jurel will lead Central Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, which marks the beginning of the new domestic season. Rajat Patidar of MPCA has been named vice-captain. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Besides Jurel, there are two other UP players in the squad, wicketkeeper-batsman and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Another UP player, Madhav Kaushik, has been named as a standby. Jurel was part of the Indian team in the last Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval. He had also kept wickets in the third and fourth Tests in the absence of Rishabh Pant. So far, Jurel has scored 1,515 runs in 25 first-class matches at an average of 47.34, and 255 runs in five Tests for India. Kuldeep, who remained on the bench throughout the series against England, has taken 164 wickets in 43 first-class matches at an average of 29.36. Aryan Juyal, who scored 714 runs in 10 innings with the help of four centuries, including an unbeaten double century, and one fifty in last season's Ranji Trophy, has been inducted into the Central Zone squad for the second time. Speaking to TOI, Aryan Juyal said, "I am very glad to see my name in the Duleep Trophy squad. Last year I was selected but had a chance to play only one match. I am fit and ready for this prestigious trophy. It's a great opportunity for me." "I would like to start the new season on a high note and carry that momentum throughout," he added.
