Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat win silver at Asian Wrestling Championship

Rio Olympic bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik had to settle for a Silver after losing against Risako Kawai of Japan in the gold medal match of the 60kg category of the Asian Wrestling Championship here in the national capital.

The 24-year-old grappler, who returned to the mat after almost a year, went down 0-10 to the Rio Olympic gold medallist in a one-sided contest.

Earlier, she fended off Ayaulym Kassymova of Kazakhstan 15-3 in the semi-finals to enter the summit showdown. It should be remembered that Sakshi had become the first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics when she clinched the bronze in the 58 kg category at Rio Games.

Meanwhile, another Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat also lost her gold medal match against Sae Nanjo of Japan, going down 4-8 in the freestyle 55kg finals. Vinesh had cruised to the finals after she defeated Sevara Eshmuratova of Uzbekistan 10-0 in the quarters before thrashing China's Qi Zhang 4-0. 

Earlier in the evening, Ritu Phogat also bagged a bronze medal in the 48kg category in women's wrestling.Phogat's opponent Yanan Sun of China gave her a walkover in the medal contest after coming through the repechage. 

(ANI)