Pincky Balhara of India was eliminated in the women's 52kg quarterfinals of the Kurash competition. Renowned for her tenacity and agility, Balhara, a silver medallist in the previous Games in 2018 in Jakarta, couldn't surpass Sitora Elmurodova of Uzbekistan, resulting in her exit from the tournament.
The gripping match, held on Saturday, ultimately saw the referee tip the scales in favour of the Uzbek athlete. The 24-year-old Balhara had earlier showcased an outstanding performance in the pre-quarterfinals against South Korea's Joo Ye Lee, securing a 5-3 victory at the Linpu Gymnasium. In the round of 32, she secured another triumph over Ayshirin Haydarova, ending with a score of 5-0.
However, Balhara wasn't the sole one facing defeat. Suchika Tariyal, competing in the same weight category, had to exit in the round of 32, falling short against the Philippines' Charmea Quelino with a score of 3-8. The men's category also witnessed a similar setback as India's Keshav, competing in the 66kg division, suffered a significant 10-0 loss to South Korea's Jaedeog Kwon.
India's aspirations for a strong showing in the Kurash competition now rest on competitors Vishal Ruhil (81kg), Yash Kumar Chauhan (90kg), and Jyoti Tokas (87kg), who are set to compete on Sunday. The nation eagerly anticipates their performances, hoping for an improved display to boost the morale of the Indian contingent at the Asian Games 2023.
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