Hammers extend their winning streak

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 22  

Aleksander Khotsianivski of Ukraine beat Satender Malik 7-0 in the 125kg super heavyweight category bout to give Haryana Hammers their third straight win in the ongoing Pro Wrestling League (PWL), at the Municipal Corporation Indoor Stadium in Ludhiana on Tuesday. 

Hammers won 4-3, denting Delhi’s hopes of making it to the semifinals.

Aleksander picked three points in the first round against defensive Satender and added four more in the next with a near fall and a takedown to clinch the decider after Sakshi Malik got the better of double world championships bronze medallist Tatyana Omelchenko of Azerbaijan in the previous bout.

It was Sakshi’s toughest test so far in PWL season four and she put up a determined effort to beat Tatyana 2-1 in a strategically planned 62kg bout to help her Sultans draw level. 

Sakshi played a very calculated bout mixed with aggression and caution to hold the Azerbaijan wrestler at bay.

Earlier, Delhi Sultans captain and current Russian champion Khetik Tsabalov started off cautiously but upped the ante in the second round to score a comfortable 3-1 win in the 74kg category over Haryana Hammers’ 2017 Commonwealth Championships silver medallist Praveen, to give his team a head start.

Junior world champion Anastasia Nichita brought the Hammers back into the tie scoring four takedown points in the first round and four more through leg-rolls and takedown in the second, to win her 57kg category bout against Katherina Zhydachivska 12-0.

Hammers’ world U-23 silver medallist Ravi Kumar, who defeated Sandeep Tomar in his previous bout, was all over Pankaj and won the men’s 57kg bout 5-0 to put his side 2-1 ahead.

National champion Pinki, who had pipped world champion Vanesa Kaladzinskaya in an earlier round, got the better of the 2017 Commonwealth Championships gold medal winner Seema 4-2 in an intense women’s 53kg bout to bring Delhi back into the tie.

The 2018 world championships silver medallist, Ali Shabanov, showed tremendous skill and strength to get the better of Sultans’ Praveen 16-2 in 86kg category and put the Hammers ahead once again in the tie. Haryana were leading 3-2 after five bouts.