Indian wrestlers bagged six medals out of the possible in Birmingham on Friday, taking the contingent’s overall medal tally to twenty six.
While Bajrang Punia (men’s 65kg) won back to back Commonwealth Games Golds, Sakshi Malik (women’s 62kg) also bettered the colour of her medal, topping the podium this time to go with silver in Glasgow and bronze in Gold Coasht. Deepak Punia in the (men’s 86kg) also followed suit to give India three gold medals in the sport at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Additionally, Anshu Malik (women’s 57kg) won silver while Divya Kakran (68kg) bagged bronze medal through repechage. To end the day on a good note for the sport, Mohit Grewal (125kg) also added bronze.
There are six more wrestling events to come on Saturday.
Here are the reactions from an action-packed, medal-laced day for wrestling:
🥇🥇🥇
— Commonwealth Sport (@thecgf) August 5, 2022
A triple threat!
What a night for @WeAreTeamIndia in the wrestling!
They carry off three gold medals! 👏#CommonwealthGames #B2022 pic.twitter.com/P861ifstCk
#CWG2022 #B2022 #Hockey 🏑
— The Field (@thefield_in) August 5, 2022
So. Much. Happened.
🥇 Bajrang Punia
🥇 Sakshi Malik
🥇 Deepak Punia
....six medals overall in Wrestling.
✅ Medals assured in Para TT & Lawn Bowls.
💔 Savita Punia & Co, Hima Das
Recap of key events:https://t.co/WkbO8yhfsu pic.twitter.com/IheaRPkXaw
Loved this 👇🏽 moment in the fight, it was as if both knew what was coming and indeed it did – a takedown. Utter dominance from Bajrang Punia as he wins a CWG gold for the second time in a row. What a champion! 🙌🏽#CWG2022 #Wrestling pic.twitter.com/71R5lQ9U1n
— Aditya Chaturvedi (@aditya_c19) August 5, 2022
#CWG2022
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) August 5, 2022
"...hopefully you'll get to see the Bajrang Punia of 2018 once again."
Been a tough few months starting from Tokyo, but a year since, he seems fresh & healthy. CWG wasn't just about gold but about performance. Dominant, as it turned out🥇https://t.co/0sFFOQe4fD pic.twitter.com/ZoYbhw4bOy
Those are tears of gold. 🥺♥ It has been battle with her own since the medal in Rio and couldn't perform the way she expected. Finally she got the taste of gold. This medal really means a lot.❤ #CWG2022 pic.twitter.com/n44sA6f23G
— Ritwika Dhar (@RituD307) August 5, 2022
Thank you so much, Sakshi Malik! pic.twitter.com/8WfJ7jk9pL
— Sritama (Ross Taylor’s version) (@cricketpun_duh) August 5, 2022
Bronze for Mohit Grewal to close out a fantastic day for Indian #wrestling 🥉👏#CWG2022 pic.twitter.com/tWaOlmLL9Z
— Aditya Chaturvedi (@aditya_c19) August 5, 2022
Bajrang paaji, tussi great ho 🥇#Wrestling #B2022 #CWG2022
— Yashodhan Nakhare (@yashnakhare) August 5, 2022
2️⃣6️⃣th MEDAL FOR INDIA 🤩
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) August 5, 2022
Debutant Mohit Grewal (M-125kg) wins 🥉at #CommonwealthGames2022 leading the bout & finally pinning his opponent to seal the match 💪
VICTORY BY FALL FOR MOHIT 🔥
With this 🇮🇳 wins 6/6 🏅 in 🤼♂️🤼♀️ today at #B2022
Fantastic effort 👏
Congratulations 🎊 pic.twitter.com/QEOcPePduS
Big cheers & 'Jeetega ka bahi jeetga, India jeetega' heard all around the arena.
— Zenia D'cunha (@ZENIADCUNHA) August 5, 2022
Bajrang Punia must feel right at home in this gold medal bout! #CWG2022 #Wrestling
Comeback queen Sakshi Malik. Only legends remember that Rio comeback
— Radha🧣 (@radhalathgupta) August 5, 2022
Wow @BajrangPunia and an absolute wow @SakshiMalik - incredible gold medals! While Bajrang’s was on expected lines what a fight and what a return by Sakshi - so proud of you both
— Parth Jindal (@ParthJindal11) August 5, 2022
So 2 Gold and 1 silver so far from Indian wrestlers at Coventry. 1 more gold fight to come from deepak punia, while Divya Kakran (68 kg) and Mohit Grewal (125kg) fight for bronze... #GoMatmen
— V Krishnaswamy (@Swinging_Swamy) August 5, 2022
Clinical @BajrangPunia! #GoldMedal #CWG2022India #CWG22 he made it look so easy.. Im sure it was never. #ChakDeIndia 🇮🇳@Media_SAI @IndiaSports @ianuragthakur @WeAreTeamIndia @DiggySinghDeo
— Joydeep Karmakar OLY (@Joydeep709) August 5, 2022
Anshu Malik is now a #CommonwealthGames silver medallist! 🥈
— Shyam Vasudevan (@JesuisShyam) August 5, 2022
Anshu, in 2021, became the first Indian female wrestler to win a silver at the World Championships. She'd also won silver at the Asian Championships in April this year.#CWG2022India | #CWG22https://t.co/7VysU45rEa pic.twitter.com/E6MdR3fKSq
❤️🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/RxM4HIVyMH
— Mon (@4sacinom) August 5, 2022
That’s a 🥉 for @DivyaWrestler @birminghamcg22 in Women’s Freestyle 68 KG 🤼♀️ #ekindiateamindia #b2022 pic.twitter.com/UnEPlFRh7M
— Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) August 5, 2022
On her birthday, @OLyAnshu wins silver medal at CWG.
— Amanpreet Singh (@amanthejourno) August 5, 2022
It was not the result Anshu wanted but she is such a talent that she is capable of winning many gold medals and at bigger stage.
Congrats champ ! And keep working hard ! #CWG2022India
Anshu Malik wins silver🥈
— Shyam Vasudevan (@JesuisShyam) August 5, 2022
She puts up a solid fight but goes down fighting to two-time CWG champion - Odunayo Adekuoroye of Nigeria. Adekuoroye won gold in 2014 [53kg] and 2018 [57kg].
Remarkably, Anshu needed just 128 seconds to win her first 2 bouts.#CWG2022 | #CWG2022India pic.twitter.com/KX1ft4QkZw
Deepak Punia at the top of the podium with his gold medal. 🥇👏#CWG2022 #Wrestling pic.twitter.com/keVocOmIM3
— Aditya Chaturvedi (@aditya_c19) August 5, 2022
She gave it her all and looked distraught at the end but 21-year-old Anshu Malik can be proud of her performance. A silver medal in the 57kg event 👏#CWG2022 #Wrestling pic.twitter.com/MXyy4crOFm
— Aditya Chaturvedi (@aditya_c19) August 5, 2022
Je baaat ! @SakshiMalik ! 🥇#b2022 #CWG2022India 8th gold for India 🇮🇳
— Ridhima Pathak (@PathakRidhima) August 5, 2022
Deepak Punia on top of the podium in 86 kg #wrestling @birminghamcg22 @CGI_Bghm @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/xVJYc2EpVr
— V Krishnaswamy (@Swinging_Swamy) August 5, 2022
Wouldn't be happy with the two points he conceded but Bajrang Punia wins gold in the men's 65kg category at the Commonwealth Games beating Canada's Lachlan McNeil 9-2 in the final. pic.twitter.com/6Kw86fSqnJ
— jonathan selvaraj (@jon_selvaraj) August 5, 2022
This is proper Rio feels… her reaction! Haha 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CyQjBCS8Wt
— Vaibhav Manocha (@BeingMinchu) August 5, 2022
"This time I just wanted to win gold. I gave my best and I am very happy. I got emotional when the national anthem was played after my win,” says Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik after winning a gold medal at #CommonwealthGames pic.twitter.com/5INDrl8I4z
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2022
Fabulous day for Indian wrestlers with all 6 getting medals (3 Gold, 1 Silver & 2 Bronze):
— India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) August 5, 2022
✨ Bajrang Punia | GOLD
✨ Deepak Punia | GOLD
✨ Sakshi Malik | GOLD
✨ Anshu Malik | Silver
✨ Mohit Grewal: Bronze
✨ Divya Kakran: Bronze #CWG22 #CWG2022India pic.twitter.com/nDceicUI4e
The talented @BajrangPunia is synonymous with consistency and excellence. He wins a Gold at the Birmingham CWG. Congratulations to him for the remarkable feat, his 3rd consecutive CWG medal. His spirit and confidence is inspiring. My best wishes always. pic.twitter.com/hjBYjd1lCP
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 5, 2022