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Ace Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was ousted from the World Wrestling Championships 2022 when she came up against Mongolia's Khulan Batkhuyag in the first round of the elite championship on Tuesday (September 9).
Phogat, a triple Commonwealth Games champion, struggled against Batkhuyag's stupendous play and lost 0-7 in the end. The 10th seed Indian has now moved to the repechage and will meet Kazakhstan’s Zhuldyz Eshimova in the first round.
The wrestler was one of India's 12 wrestling medal winners at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. Phogat was a strong favorite after reigning world champion Akari Fujinami of Japan withdrew due to an injury.
Watch: CWG 2022: Maari chhoriya chhoro se kam hai ke ft. Vinesh Phogat & Anshu Malik | Wrestling
In a disappointing start to the event, the Indian wrestlers were knocked out of medal contention in the 50kg, 55kg, 62kg, 65kg and 76kg events.
Vinesh Phogat found wanting during bout
Batkhuyag started the bout in a dominating fashion and took a 3-0 lead in the first period. The slender lead was enough to boost the confidence of the Mongolian as she never allowed Vinesh to stage a comeback.
Such was the domination from Batkhuyag, that the celebrated Indian grappler was never truly in the bout. Batkhuyag pinned her opponent to the mat to score four points, which was the final nail in the coffin for Vinesh.
Incidentally, Indian junior wrestler Antim Panghal, who was knocked out by Vinesh in the selection trials, beat the Mongolian at the U-23 Asian meet earlier last month.
India had more disappointments in store as Neelam Sirohi lost to two-time world silver medalist Emilia Alina Vuc of Romania 0-10 via technical superiority in the women's 50 kg event.
French wrestler Koumba Larroque, who was fighting with a highly strapped knee, pinned Shafali via technical superiority in the women's 65kg as India wrapped up a horrid day at the World Wrestling Championships.
