#WrestleBirmingham

India dominates Commonwealth Games with 3 golds

Friday, August 5, 2022 - 21:02 By Vinay Siwach

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COVENTRY, England (August 8) -- When Bajrang PUNIA (IND) lost to David TREMBLAY (CAN) in the 2014 Commonwealth Games final, a 13-year-old Lachlan McNEIL (CAN) was in the crowd at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow.

While Tremblay managed to beat Punia, McNeil's attempt to repeat the feat eight years later in the Coventry Arena on Friday fell short as Punia, now a veteran of three Commonwealth Games, defended his 65kg gold medal with little trouble.

Punia and McNeil reached the 65kg gold medal bout by beating George RAMM (ENG) and Inayat ULLAH (PAK) with ease. With gold on the line, McNeil did put up a fight, scoring the only takedown against Punia in the competition, but it wasn't enough as the Tokyo bronze medalist won the bout 10-2.

That was one of the three gold medals India won on day one of wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Deepak PUNIA (IND) and Sakshi MALIK (IND) were also crowned first-time Commonwealth champions.

But it was Punia's gold that delighted the huge contingent of Indian fans at the arena.

"When you are wrestling at any tournament, you don't think about the difficulty of it," Punia said. "I wrestled thinking everyone is important and I want to be back to the level I was in 2018 and 2019."

Since winning the bronze in Tokyo, Punia has suffered two losses -- against Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) in the Asian Championships final and Abbos RAKHMANOV (UZB) at the Ranking Series in Almaty.

But with the World Championships just a month away, he would like to put behind the two losses and take confidence from the win in Birmingham.

"World Championships is the main goal," he said. "I have been preparing for that and now it's very close."

For McNeil, the Commonwealth Games were a learning experience as he tries to win a berth for Canada for the Paris Olympics.

"The sole purpose of coming here was to wrestle Bajrang," McNeil said. "He is a world-class wrestler and he proved it. But it's a great experience and I will carry it forward to the Olympics in Paris."

Deepak PUNIA (IND)Deepak PUNIA (IND), gold medalist, with the three other medalists at 86kg in Coventry. (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis)

Another Punia had a higher stake in the final. Not only was Deepak wrestling for gold, but he also had to beat Muhammad INAM (PAK), a wrestler who has never lost to an Indian at the Commonwealth Games.

The two-time champion kept Deepak quiet for a long time but was called passive in the first period. Deepak scored a stepout during the activity period to lead 2-0 at the break. A tiring Inam kept going for half-hearted attacks and Deepak managed to get another stepout.

He managed to keep Inam away until the clock expired, winning the gold at 86kg, 3-0.

Amarveer DHESI (CAN)Amarveer DHESI (CAN) won his first Commonwealth Games gold on Friday. (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis)

The final freestyle gold medal went to Pan-Am champion Amarveer DHESI (CAN) who defeated another Pakistan wrestler in Zaman ANWAR in the final.

Anwar did score two points but Dhesi was class apart, winning the gold medal with a fall after leading 9-2.

In the semifinal, Dhesi was up against Mohit GREWAL (IND) and managed to get an easy 12-2 win and keep his promise of winning against India at the Commonwealth Games.

"An Indo-Canadian and Indian wrestling always makes things complex back home," Dhesi said. "But great to get the win and be on the top of the podium."

Dhesi will now try to repeat the feat at the World Championships in Belgrade.

"The weight class has some solid guys but my aim remains the same -- to reach the podium," he said.

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), red, defeated Linda MORAIS (CAN) to win the 68kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis)

Repeat for Oborududu, Adekuoroye

Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) became a two-time Commonwealth Games champion after winning the 68kg gold medal in Coventry.

Wrestling former world champion at 59kg Linda MORAIS (CAN), Oborududu controlled the bout till the end and gave no chance to Morais to attack.

At one point the score was 3-1 and Morais fancied her chance of winning the gold with a takedown but Oborududu managed to score a go-behind in the final moments and win 5-1.

Blessing, who became the first-ever wrestler from Africa to reach an Olympic final in Tokyo, won gold in 2018 but has a silver from the 2010 edition and a bronze from 2014.

"For me, I was calm in the final," Oborududu said. "I wanted to control the final and not attack too much. I knew the match would be tough if I don't wrestle smart. I didn't need to panic and that's why I wrestled how I did."

Morais will also be at the World Championships at 68kg and will be hoping to avenge the loss.

"We thought it's a good opportunity to jump to 68kg and be part of the team," Morais said.

Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) defended her 57kg gold after beating Anshu MALIK (IND) in the final. (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis)

Adekuoroye, who wrestled Pooja DHANDA (IND) in the 57kg final in Gold Coast, defeated world silver medalist Anshu MALIK (IND) in the final to defend her gold.

In their only meeting before Birmingham, Adekuoroye won via technical superiority over Malik. While the score was close on Friday, the result was Adekuoroye won the gold.

She got a double leg for a takedown to lead 2-0 and kept Malik off the hooks for the remaining time. As the break approached, Adekuoroye once again blasted a double and made the lead 4-0.

Malik continued her attacks and did get a takedown after Adekuoroye was penalized for a passivity point. But the takedown was a little too late as the Nigerian won 7-3 before breaking to her dance to celebrate the gold.

Sakshi MALIK (IND)Sakshi MALIK's (IND) move that helped her secure the fall over Ana GONZALEZ (CAN). (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis) 

The gold at 62kg was captured by Sakshi MALIK (IND) as she came from behind to beat U23 world champion Ana GONZALEZ (CAN) in the final.

Gonzalez jumped to a 4-0 lead at the break with two takedowns and Malik was struggling to find openings.

"I thought I could win and I was really confident," Gonzalez said. "But I had to be a little proactive in the second period and not let her wrestle her way."

Malik, trying to get her favorite double-leg attack, kept Gonzalez close to her and snapped which allowed Malik to grab Gonzalez leg. She turned it into an underhook and got the double. With Gonzalez falling on her back, Malik kept the pressure and secured the fall.

"I have a bronze medal at Commonwealth and silver so this time I just thought that I have to get the gold and I am happy to get it," Malik said.

RESULTS

Freestyle

65kg
GOLD: Bajrang PUNIA (IND) df. Lachlan McNEIL (CAN), 9-2

BRONZE: George RAMM (ENG) df. Lowe BINGHAM (NRU), 11-0
BRZONE: Inayat ULLAH (PAK) df. Ross CONNELLY (SCO), 10-0

86kg
GOLD: Deepak PUNIA (IND) df. Muhammad INAM (PAK), 3-0

BRONZE: Alexander MOORE (CAN) df. Matthew OXENHAM (NZL), 10-0
BRONZE: Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS) df. Edward LESSING (RSA), 12-11

125kg
GOLD: Amarveer DHESI (CAN) df. Zaman ANWAR (PAK), via fall

BRONZE: Mohit GREWAL (IND) df. Aaron JOHNSON (JAM), via fall
BRONZE: Mandhir KOONER (ENG) df. Kensley MARIE (MAU), via fall

Women's wrestling

57kg
GOLD: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) df. Anshu MALIK (IND), 7-4

BRONZE: Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) df. Sophia AYIETA (KEN), via fall
BRONZE: Nethmi PORUTHOTAGE (SRI) df. Irene SYMEONIDIS (AUS), 10-0

62kg
GOLD: Sakshi MALIK (IND) df. Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN), via fall

BRONZE:: Berthe ETANE (CMR) df. Kelsey BARNES (ENG), 9-4
BRONZE: Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) df. Abbie FOUNTAIN (SCO), 10-0

68kg
GOLD: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) df. Linda MORAIS (CAN), 5-1

BRONZE: Tayla FORD (NZL) df. Amylee AZA (MAU), via fall
BRONZE: Divya KAKRAN (IND) df. Tiger COCKER (TGA), via fall

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: Fujinami ready for first international test at 57kg

Friday, October 10, 2025 - 10:32 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO, Japan (October 9) -- She already has an Olympic gold and two senior world titles, not to mention a 141-match winning streak that dates back to her junior high school days. And there is that undefeated record against non-Japanese opponents.

So what has compelled Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) to even bother entering the U23 World Championships, a tournament that, on paper at least, she should have no problem winning?

Rest assured there is method to what she would not regard as madness. It is all part of a grand plan, centered on the 21-year-old's much-publicized move from 53kg directly up to the next Olympic weight of 57kg with eyes firmly on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"This will by my first world tournament since I moved up in weight class," Fujinami said in an interview via social media. "I want to try out what I have been practicing, and get an idea of where I stand in terms of my current ability. I also want to identify areas to work on ahead of the All-Japan Championships in December."

Fujinami tops the marquee as she makes her debut at the U23 World Championships, to be held October 20-27 in Novi Sad, Serbia. Currently in her senior year at Nippon Sports Science University, it will be just her third competition since she cruised to the 53kg gold at the Paris Olympics, where she won all four matches by either fall or technical superiority.

The two other outings -- one a collegiate team event in November 2024 and the other the Japan Queen's Cup in April at which she qualified for the U23 Worlds -- did not provide much of a workout. She won a total of four matches in a combined time of 7:11 without giving up a point.

Fujinami expressed no concerns about her extended absence from top-level competition. "This will be my first tournament in six months," she said. "I'm not worried about regaining my match feeling. For the Olympics, I had about a seven-month blank."

Fujinami had at first planned to try for the senior worlds, but decided she would not be ready as she makes the physical adjustment to 57kg. So will we see a bulked-up Fujinami in Novi Sad?

"Compared with the time when I was in the 53kg class, my natural weight is more than then," Fujinami said. "I am also going to have cut weight before the tournament at 57kg. I'm also working hard on weight training, and I'll try to show the effects of that in the matches."

Despite her exalted status, Fujinami knows not to take any opponent lightly – a lesson she learned fully well when she won her second senior world title in 2023. In the quarterfinals, she was stunned when Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) tagged her for five points early in the match and seven overall, marking the most points ever scored upon her by a non-Japanese.

Although Fujinami came back to take the lead and win by fall, it showed any lapse can lead to disaster – which, ironically, makes the sport more appealing for her.

“You never know what will happen in a match,” Fujinami said. “But I think that’s what makes it interesting. For me, a match is like a presentation of yourself, so I will go into it aiming to win while having fun.”

In Novi Sad, Fujinami may have to share some of the spotlight with compatriot, fellow Paris Olympic gold medalist and recently crowned senior world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN).

A victory by Motoki at 62kg would make her the third member of the “Golden Grand Slam” club -- those who have combined an Olympic gold with titles on the senior and all three age-group levels. The two current members are Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Amit ELOR (USA).

Ironically, circumstances beyond her control worked against Fujinami ever having a chance to also gain entry into the club.

A world U17 champion in 2018, she was deprived twice of chances to win a U20 world title – first in 2021 when Japan opted to not send a team during the pandemic, and again in 2022 when an injury forced her to withdraw. Those same years she qualified for the U23 worlds, but missed out for the same reasons.

This time, her preparations have gone without a hitch. "I've been able to continue to train and practice without any major injuries," she said.

Prior to securing a second Olympic gold in Los Angeles, Fujinami has a more immediate goal — winning her first at the Asian Games, to be held next October in Nagoya / Aichi Prefecture, which borders her native Mie Prefecture. Because of the early deadline for entries, she needs a victory at the All-Japan Championships in December to make the Japanese squad.

“My goals are to win gold at the Asian Games in Nagoya and at the Los Angeles Olympics,” she said. “To achieve those goals, I’ve dedicated myself to strengthening myself during this period. It’s been a time for me to look inside myself and explore my wrestling. Now the time has come to show the results.”