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Updated August 5th, 2021 at 17:33 IST

India's Ravi Dahiya wins silver medal at Tokyo Olympics, loses to ROC's Uguev in wrestling

Ravi Dahiya has now become the second wrestler to win a silver medal at the Olympics game in wrestling for India after wrestler Sushil Kumar at London Games

Reported by: Ujjwal Samrat
Ravi Dahiya/Tokyo Olympics
Image Credits: @KirenRijiju | Image:self
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Ravi Dahiya on Thursday settled for a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics after he went down fighting two-time wrestling world champion  Zavur Uguev from the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) by 7-4 in the final of 57kg freestyle category. With this, Ravi Dahiya has become the second wrestler to win a silver medal at the Olympics game in wrestling for India after Sushil Kumar had won a silver medal at the London Games. It is also India's second silver medal after at Tokyo Olympics after Mirabai Chanu.

Ravi Kumar Dahiya wins silver at Tokyo 2020

The gold medal match turned out to be a thrilling contest, with both wrestlers giving everything on the mat. However, the early lead by the Russian wrestler turned out to be the turning point of the match. Ravi Dahiya's start wasn't up to the mark as Zavur scored two points shortly after the competition commenced. However, Ravi Dahiya made a comeback and earned two points. The first round ended 2-4 in favour of Zavur. Ultimately the final score was 7-4 in favour of Zavur Uguev.

Ravi Dahiya at Tokyo Olympics

Ravi Dahiya on Thursday became only the second Indian wrestler to win a silver medal at the Olympic Games after he lost the men's freestyle 57kg title clash 4-7 to reigning world champion Zavur Uguev.

There were expectations that the 23-year Dahiya would become India's youngest Olympic champion however his Russian counterpart was too good today. Earlier, Dahiya had lost to Uguev at the 2019 World Championship.

The wrestler from Nahri village in Haryana had outclassed Colombia's Tigreros Urbano (13-2) in his opener and then outwitted Bulgaria's Georgi Valentinov Vangelov (14-4) in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, he erased a massive 2-9 deficit to pin Kazakhastan Nurislam Sanayev. Before Dahiya, Sushil Kumar, was the only other Indian wrestler to have made the final at Olympics. Sushil had won a silver at the 2012 London Games, where Yogeshwar Dutt also won a bronze. Sushil had won a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games.

India now have five Olympic medal-winning wrestlers.

KD Jadhav had won a bronze in the 1952 Helsinki Games. Sakshi Malik had become the first woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal when she clinched a bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games

(Image Credits: @KirenRijiju)

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Published August 5th, 2021 at 16:48 IST

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