Monika (women\u2019s 65kg) and Harshita (women\u2019s 72kg) then signed off with bronze medals to take India\u2019s overall medals tally into double figures \u2013 three silver and seven bronze.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India\u2019s sole gold medal hope on Friday rested on Meenakshi, who had fought back from the brink in the semi-finals to reach this far. However, the 25-year-old was not at her best on Friday and went down 10-0 against China\u2019s Jin Zhang.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
While Meenakshi\u2019s loss came as a heartbreak for the Indian contingent, Monika and Harshita lifted their spirits with clinical performances to clinch the bronze medals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Monika defeated Hanbit Lee of South Korea 9-0 to win the bronze in the women\u2019s 65kg category, while Harshita got the better of Sevinchoy Polvonova 5-0 in the women\u2019s 72kg bronze medal bout.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, India\u2019s men\u2019s freestyle wrestlers showcased their growing stature on the continental stage as U-23 world champion Sujeet (65kg), Abhimanyou (70kg), and Sandeep Mann (79kg) sealed their final berth.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the 65kg freestyle semi-final, Sujeet defeated Abdulmazhid Kudiev of Tajikistan 7-2. The 23-year-old, winner of two Ranking Series earlier this year, had beaten Kyrgyzstan\u2019s Rustamzhan Kakharov by technical superiority in the quarterfinals. He will now face Umidjon Jalolov of Uzbekistan in a rematch of the U23 world championships final that the Indian had won comfortably.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Abhimanyou then surprised defending champion Ernazar Akmataliev of Kyrgyzstan 6-3 in a late twist to reach the men\u2019s 70kg freestyle final, where he will face Tumur Ochir of Mongolia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sandeep Mann will be the third Indian wrestler in the final on Saturday after the 26-year-old displayed total dominance to beat Somonjon Ikromov of Tajikistan 10-0 in the 79kg freestyle semi-final. He will now face Japan\u2019s Keyvan Gharehdaghi in the gold medal bout.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Abhimanyou then surprised defending champion Ernazar Akmataliev of Kyrgyzstan 6-3 in a late twist to reach the men\u2019s 70kg freestyle final, where he will face Tumur Ochir of Mongolia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the men\u2019s 57kg freestyle, Ankush will challenge Fuga Sasaki of Japan for the bronze medal after Milad Validazeh, against whom he lost the quarter-finals, reached the final.<\/p>\r\n\r\n