Asian Games: Narender Grewal enters semis, assured of bronze in wushu

The Indian wushu contingent received a big boost as Narender Grewal strut his stuff to storm into the semifinals of the men’s 60-kg Sanda event, thus assuring himself of a bronze medal. The 20-year-old Indian, who started his career as a wrestling before taking to wushu, overpowered Pakistan’s Abdullah 2-0 in the quarterfinal bout. Narender will now faces Jean Claude Saclag of Philippines in the semifinal and can go all out for the coveted gold medal. Narender had prevailed over Nepal’s Tharu Mangal Prasad in the pre-quarterfinals.

Narender is the lone male wushu player from India to enter the semifinals. He has Sanathoi Devi Yumnam for company in the semifinal round as the Manipuri girl takes on China’s Zhang Luan for a place in the final of the 52-kg Sanda event. Sanathoi Devi Yumnam had got the better of Mongolia’s Sangidorj Amgalanjargal 2-0 in the quarterfinal. She had earlier defeated Mubarak Kamalova of Uzbekistan to reach the last-eight stage. India’s Rajani Deori lost to Vietnam’s NGO van Sy 0-2 in the quarterfinals of the women’s 75-kg Sanda event. She was handed a direct entry into the last-eight stage, but missed out on a medal opportunity.

India’s wushu campaign had begun on a disappointing note with Wangkhem Sandhyarani Devi losing to Thi Ly Tan of Vietnam in women's 60kg Sanda event in the pre-quarterfinals. Santosh Kumar also went down to Rizaidin Railin of Kazakhstan in the men's 56kg Sanda pre-quarterfinal.