CWG 2022: Bronze-winning wrestler Pooja Sihag expresses delight with support of Indian fans in attendance
Aug 07, 2022
Birmingham [UK], August 7 : Following her bronze medal win on Saturday, Indian wrestler Pooja Sihag said that there were a lot of Indians in attendance during her match and I felt as if the games were taking place in her own country.
Indian wrestler Pooja Sihag clinched the bronze medal in the Women's Freestyle 76kg category final after delivering a dominant performance against Australia's Naomi de Bruine in the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022.
"So many Indians were supporting us during the game that it felt like the game was happening in India," said Sihag to ANI.
She also thanked the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for providing great facilities and camps to wrestlers, which she said helped in raising the country's medal count.
"Our coach also helped us and prepared us mentally to battle for a medal. When you lose a match, it does not feel good but our coach offered us great support," she added.
Coming to the match, she defeated de Bruine at the Coventry Arena Wrestling Mat B to clinch the 11th medal for India in wrestling this Games. Pooja sealed an 11-0 win via Victory by technical superiority against de Bruine in the bronze medal match.
Pooja started the bout on an aggressive note as she looked for a pinfall to get an early win but the Aussie wrestler was showing grit and determination to stay alive in the bout.
Pooja did not give her opponent any chances to take any points and took a massive lead of 8-0 in the first period by pinning her opponent. Pooja delivered a dominant show as she proved her supremacy over Australia's Naomi de Bruine and kept her in a tight hold from time to time throughout the bout.
In the final three minutes, Pooja managed to hold her ground well with a powerful grip on her opponent to walk away with a bronze medal.
Indian wrestling contingent had a brilliant Commonwealth Games 2022. It ended up winning 12 medals across all categories. Six of them were gold medals.
Commonwealth Games 2022 started in Birmingham on July 28 and will go on till August 8.
