India's wrestling team is likely to have reason to celebrate on Day 13 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Thursday, August 5, as the possibility of two Olympic medals seem imminent.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Deepak Punia will play for medals in the men’s freestyle 57kg and 86kg events respectively. Ravi Kumar, in fact, is guaranteed to return with a silver or gold medal as he faces Russia’s (ROC) two-time world champion Zaur Uguev in the 57kg final.
Ravi Kumar’s semi-final bout win against Nurislam Sanayev made him the fifth Indian wrestler to secure a podium finish at the Olympic Games after Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav (Helsinki 1952), Sushil Kumar (Beijing 2008, London 2012), Yogeshwar Dutt (London 2012) and Sakshi Malik (Rio 2016).
Deepak Punia, meanwhile, will battle the winner of the men’s 86kg repechage in the bronze medal match.
Two women wrestlers in Vinesh Phogat and Anshu Malik will also be in action at Tokyo 2020 on Thursday. Vinesh begins her 53kg freestyle campaign against Sweden’s Sofia Mattsson, whereas Malik, who lost in the women’s 57kg freestyle quarter-finals to Belarus’ Iryna Kurachkina, will face Russia’s (ROC) Valeria Koblova in the repechage.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics wrestling schedule for Indian wrestlers on August 5
Women’s wrestling:
Freestyle 57kg repechage: Anshu Malik vs Valeria Koblova - 7:45 AM IST
Freestyle 53kg round of 16: Vinesh Phogat vs Sofia Mattsson - 8:00 AM IST
Men’s wrestling:
Freestyle 57kg gold medal match: Ravi Kumar Dahiya vs Zaur Uguev - 4:15 PM IST
Freestyle 86kg bronze medal match: Deepak Punia vs winner (repechage) - 4:30 PM IST
Where to watch the Tokyo 2020 Olympics wrestling event live in India?
The wrestling event of August 5 at Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be telecast live on the Sony TEN 2, Sony TEN 2 HD, Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD TV channels in India. Sony TEN 3, Sony TEN 3 HD, Sony TEN 4 and Sony TEN 4 HD will broadcast the Olympic Games in regional languages.
Live streaming of the Tokyo Olympics freestyle wrestling will be available on the Sony Liv app and website.
