Geetika wins Silver, Alka Tomar gets Bronze

Doha, Dec 11 (UNI) India's hopes of a Gold medal were snuffed out when Geetika Jhakar was comprehensively beaten by Japan's Kaori Icho 0-5 in the final of the women's 63kg freestyle event of the wrestling competition at the Asian Games here tonight.

Geetika was overwhelmed by her much superior rival who logged in eight technical points while the Indian failed to earn even one point. The Indian thus had to be satisfied with a Silver.

Another medal came in this competition for India when world Bronze winner Alka Tomar won a Bronze here too. Alka defeated Su Lihui of China 3-1 in a bout for the third place.

However in another Bronze medal bout in 72 kg category, India's Sonika lost to a far superior Iana Panova of Kyrgyzstan. Panova easily brushed aside the Indian challenge with a 3-0 win.

In the morning, giving excellent display of technical grappling, Geetika assured India a medal as she stormed into the finals of the 63kg category.

The 21-year-old Delhi-based Geetika overpowered Kim Hee Jeong of Korea 3-1 and then accounted for Mongolia's Odonchimeg Badrakh 3-0 in the semifinal.

Geetika dominated both the bouts with her superior skill and technique and her rivals could not grapple with her on equal terms.

The quarterfinal bout was a very defensive affair in which Geetika defended herself well while managing two technical points as against one by Kim.

The Indian displayed cool temperament against the Mongol in the semifinal which she won by earning two technical points while her rival failed to score any.

World Bronze medallist Alka Tomar lost her 55kg bout to Japan's Saori Yoshida 0-3 but because the Indian had got a bye, she availed of the right to fight for the Bronze with China's Su Lihui.

Another Indian Sonika made a good start winning the 72kg bout against Vietnam's Quyen Thi Ludong 3-1 but lost her next bout to China's Wang Xu 0-3. By virtue of her ranking, she also got the chance to fight for a Bronze bout which she lost.

After her quarterfinal match, Sonika had said that she was very tired.

''This was my first bout and it was very tight. I only hope I can get a medal,'' she had said. However, her wish was not fulfilled.

The fourth Indian women wrestler, Neha lost her bout in the morning session, going down to Li Xaaomei of China 1-3 in 48kg category bout.

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