Indian wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya assured atleast a silver medal as he put on a sensational show on Wednesday (August 4) to enter the gold medal final in the 57kg category by defeating Kazakhstan's Nurislam Sanayev in the semifinal. With the win, Dahiya became just the second Indian wrestler ever to enter the Olympics final after Sushil Kumar back in the 2012 London Olympics.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

However, Dahiya endured a brutal and painful bite on his arm en route to the historic win. In the last few seconds of the semi-final bout when Ravi was trying to pin down Sanayev, the Kazakhstan wrestler bit him on the arm and the video of the same went viral on the internet.


Watch the video here:



 



 



Talking about the bout, Dahiya trailed 2-9 after Sanayev effected a few 'fitley' (leg lace) but as the clocked ticked away, the fourth seed Indian regrouped and got hold of his rival with a double leg attack that resulted in a 'victory by fall'. Despite a huge deficit, Dahiya did not panic, showing tremendous mental strength, and dramatically turned the bout in his favour.



After the end of the first period, Dahiya had a 2-1 lead but Sanayev came prepared and attacked the Indian's left leg, getting a good grip of that turned him thrice to log six points in a jiffy. Suddenly Dahiya's lead was gone and he was staring at a defeat but his superior stamina and technical prowess were still at work. The remaining one minute was enough for him to turn the tide and he did it in style.


He got hold of Sanayev with a double leg attack and then gripped him tightly, Kazakhstan wrestler's back on the mat and finished the bout with a might 'pin'. Even in his previous bouts, Dahiya was dominant as the 23-year won both his previous contests on technical superiority en route to the final.


Dahiya will now take on Zaur Uguev of Russia in the final on Thursday (August 5) and can potentially become India's second-ever individual gold medallist at Tokyo Olympics after Abhinav Bindra back in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.