Bajrang Punia, Ravi Kumar seal Tokyo Olympic berths

Bajrang Punia, Ravi Kumar seal Tokyo Olympic berths

Bajrang Punia. (File Photo: IANS)

Nur-Sultan (Kazakhastan), Sep 19 (IANS) Ace Indian grapplers Bajrang Punia and Ravi Kumar Dahiya on Thursday secured two quotas for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after entering the semi-finals of their respective events at the ongoing World Wrestling Championships.

Punia, currently ranked World No.1, entered the semi-finals in the 65-kg weight category after beating North Korean grappler Jong Son 8-1 in the quarter-finals to confirm his seat on the flight which will be heading to Tokyo next year.

Before that, he had defeated David Habat of Slovakia 3-0 in the pre-quarterfinals. Earlier in the day, Punia kicked off his campaign with a 9-2 win over Poland's Krzysztof Bienkowski.

He will now face local Daulet Niyazbekov for a place in the finals.

Meanwhile, Kumar booked his tickets for the Tokyo Games after upsetting former World Champion Yuki Takahashi 6-1 in the quarter-finals of the 57-kg weight category.

Before that, Kumar overcame a stiff challenge from Armenia's Arsen Harutyunyan and emerged victorious by winning the bout 17-6 in the pre-quarterfinals. He had opened his campaign by thrashing Sunggwon Kim of Korea 11-0.

He will now face Zavur Uguev of Russia for a place in the finals.

On Tuesday, Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat secured India's first Olympic quota in wrestling by winning the bronze medal in 53 kg freestyle category.

--IANS

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