Congratulations poured in for Navjot Kaur who on Friday night became the first Indian woman wrestler to clinch the Gold medal in Senior Asian Championships. This is her third medal in the championships.
Kaur defeated Japan’s Miya Imai 9-1 in the final bout to win the glittering yellow metal in the 65 kg freestyle category in Kyrgyzstan’s capital city of Bishkek.
In the 62 kg freestyle category at the same event, Rio Olympics Bronze medallist Sakshi Malik won a Bronze beating Kazakhstan’s Ayaulym Kassymova 10-7 in a tough fight.
“Hearty congratulations to Navjot Kaur, the first Indian woman to win gold at Senior Asian Wrestling Championships. Congratulations to Sakshi Malik too for winning Bronze. It is indeed a moment of pride for the nation,” Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu wrote on Twitter.
Hearty congratulations to Navjot Kaur, the first Indian woman to win gold at Senior Asian Wrestling Championships . Congratulations to Sakshi Mallik too for winning Bronze. It is indeed a moment of pride for the nation. #AsianWrestlingChampionship #NavjotKaur pic.twitter.com/HwEDQFiLQw
— VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) March 3, 2018
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar wrote, “Congratulations to Navjot Kaur for winning the Gold medal and Sakshi Malik for winning Bronze medal due to their outstanding performances in the Asian Wrestling Championship. Well deserved, they have made us all proud!”
Congratulations to #NavjotKaur for winning the Gold medal & @SakshiMalik for winning Bronze medal due to their outstanding performances in the #AsianWrestlingChampionship. Well deserved, they have made us all proud!
— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) March 2, 2018
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, too, congratulated Kaur and Malik.
“Congratulations Navjot Kaur for scripting history by being the first Indian woman to win gold in Asian Wrestling Championship 2018. Many congratulations to Sakshi Malik for bagging bronze. The entire country is proud of your achievements,” Pradhan said.
Congratulations #NavjotKaur for scripting history by being the first Indian woman to win gold in #AsianWrestlingChampionship 2018. Many congratulations to @SakshiMalik for bagging bronze.The entire country is proud of your achievements.#Girlrising pic.twitter.com/97dtNzW7aG
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) March 2, 2018
“Navjot Kaur first woman from India to win Gold in Asian Wrestling Championships…Amazing! Many congratulations…India Booming all over…JAI HIND!!!” wrote Amitabh Bachchan on Twitter.
T 2731 – #NavjotKaur first woman from India to win Gold in Asian Wrestling Championships .. Amazing ! many congratulations .. India Booming all over .. JAI HIND !!!🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/O1ff0MdkjV
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 2, 2018
Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh called the dual wins a “rejoicing moment for all”.
“Congratulations to Navjot Kaur on winning gold and scripting history at Asian Wrestling Championship and to Sakshi Malik on winning bronze and making the nation proud yet again! A rejoicing moment for all of us,” he wrote on Twitter.
Congratulations to #NavjotKaur on winning gold and scripting history at #AsianWrestlingChampionship and to @SakshiMalik on winning bronze and making the nation proud yet again ! A rejoicing moment for all of us.
— Dr Raman Singh (@drramansingh) March 3, 2018
The 28-year-old Kaur has been winning medals on the wrestling circuit since 2009. Her first was a Gold in Asian Junior Championship in 2009, which she followed up with a Bronze in World Junior Championship the same year.
Kaur has earlier clinched a Bronze in 2011 and a Silver in 2013 in the Asian Championships. She won a Bronze in the World Cup 2013 and a Bronze in Commonwealth Games 2014.
The Asian Championship medals of Kaur and Malik took India’s medal tally to six – one gold, one silver and four bronze medals.
Vinesh Phogat had to contend with a Silver as she lost 2-3 to China’s a Chun Lei in the summit clash of the women’s 50 kg freestyle.
Another Indian wrestler Sangeeta defeated Jieun Um of Korea to win a Bronze medal in the women’s 59 kg freestyle event.