Babita Kumari Loses Opener, No Chance of Repechage
Babita was aggressive throughout the match but left her defence open, providing her opponent some easy point.
advertisement
Babita Phogat was unable to replicate the performance put up by Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik in her pre-quarterfinal match in 53 kg freestyle event on Day 13 of Rio Olympics.
The eldest member of Indian women wrestling contingent, Babita Kumari went down 1-5 to Greek Wrestler Maria Prevolaraki. The 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist was the aggressor of the two in the match but that left her defence open, giving the Greek multiple opportunities to score points.
In both the three-minute periods, Babita got a leg hold on her rival but the Greek somehow managed to extricate out of the difficult situation and turn the tables on the Indian grappler. Maria took a 3-0 lead in the opening period when she wriggled out of the one-leg hold applied by Babita and went behind the Indian girl to get two points after having thrown her opponent out of the safety zone on the mat earlier to log her first point.
The lone point that Babita managed was of a caution awarded to Prevolaraki for being too defensive. The 26-year-old is now out of the Olympics as her only hope of winning a medal was pinned on the repechage rule. But Prevolaraki also lost in the very next round to Venezuelan Arguello Villegas, shutting the doors of qualification for Babita.