Nagoya, October 3 (Daily Kiran) : Anshu Punia had to settle for a silver medal in the women’s 53-kilogram wrestling event at the Asian Games 2026, held in Nagoya. In the final, she faced Japan’s Kiyoka, suffering a defeat with a score of 1-9 on Saturday.
Punia, who previously won a bronze medal in the same category at the Hangzhou Asian Games, started the final cautiously. Kiyoka quickly took the lead, earning a point during the passivity period when Punia failed to score. By the end of the first period, Kiyoka had extended her advantage to 2-0.
Despite her efforts to make a comeback, Punia briefly seemed to gain a point by taking Kiyoka down. However, the Japanese wrestler swiftly pushed her out of bounds. Although Punia challenged the decision, her review was unsuccessful.
With time running out, Punia became more aggressive in her attempts to close the gap. Kiyoka seized the opportunity, attacking Punia’s leg and completing a takedown, which solidified her lead at 9-1 and secured the gold medal.
Despite the loss, Punia’s silver medal is a significant accomplishment in her Asian Games career. This marks her second medal in continental events, following her bronze in Hangzhou in 2022. The 21-year-old wrestler demonstrated impressive skill throughout the tournament, beginning her campaign with a decisive 9-0 victory over Kazakhstan’s Shugila Omirbek. She then defeated Uzbekistan’s Sakibjamal Asbosinova 8-0 in the quarter-finals.
In the semi-finals, Punia triumphed over China’s Jin Zhang with a score of 6-1. After initially losing points, she made a remarkable comeback by scoring six consecutive points, securing her place in the final. By reaching the final, she joined an elite group of Indian female wrestlers, becoming only the third to do so after Geetika Jakhar and Vinesh Phogat.
Punia also holds the distinction of being the first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Her silver contributes to India’s total of six wrestling medals at these games. It was a remarkable day for Indian wrestling, as Aman Sahravat clinched gold in the men’s freestyle 57-kilogram category, while Deepak Punia secured bronze in the men’s 97-kilogram event.
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