Asian Wrestling Championship 2019: Gurpreet Singh bags silver while Gyanender secures bronze medal

Xi’an [China], Apr 28 (ANI): India’s Greco-Roman wrestlers Harpreet Singh and Gyanender added two more medals -- silver and bronze respectively to India’s medal tally on the final day of Asian Wrestling Championship here. 
Harpreet Singh (82kg) won his first ever silver medal after winning three consecutive bronze medals from this prestigious tournament. Singh overpowered Burgo Beishaliev of Kyrgyzstan in the quarter-finals and continued to shine against China’s Haitao Qian in a commanding 10-1 victory in the semi-finals.
However, Singh had to settle for the silver as he faced an 8-0 defeat from Iran’s Saeid Morad Abdvali in the final.
“I gave my all but it wasn't my day; especially an opponent who is a former world champion and Olympic medallist, was too strong. I am still happy to have bettered the colour of my medal from last year and hopefully will be able to bring more laurels for India in the future,” Singh said after securing silver medal.
Gyanender (60kg), earlier defeated Ali Abed Alnaser Ali Abuseif of Jordan 9-1 in the quarters but faced a 9-0 defeat from Islomjon Bakhramov in the semi-finals because of which he had to settle for the bronze medal.
The 30-member Indian wrestling contingent thus had an impressive showing at this six-day continental event with the medal tally of 16 which consisted, one gold, six silver and nine bronze medals.
In Greco-Roman, while Gurpreet Singh (77kg), Sunil Kumar (87kg) and Harpreet Singh (82kg) delivered silver medals while Gyanender (60kg) got the solitary bronze.
The increase in the medal count this time has reflected the surging confidence levels from India’s Greco-Roman wrestlers after the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) sent them abroad for training. (ANI)