Sushil Kumar wins wrestling bronze at Beijing Olympics

Wrestler Sushil Kumar on Wednesday wins second medal for India in Beijing Olympics, a bronze, after defeating Kazakhstan's Leonid Spiridonov in the Repechage match in 66-kg Freestyle Wrestling event.

Earlier, the Indian lost in the first round to Ukrainian Andriy Stadnik, a former world cup winner and 2006 World Championship Bronze medallist. As Stadnik moved to the final, all those lost to him left to the Repechage round that had to decide the bronze medallist.

In the Repechage first round, Sushil defeated American Doug Schwab and then Belarrussian Albert Batyrov in the second round and then needed to win a third bout after that to get himself a bronze.

The gold medal went to Turkey and Silver in the name of Ukraine.

Sushil Kumar became the second Indian wrestler to win a bronze medal in wrestling after Kashabha Jadhav who had done it in 1952 Helsinki Games.

This medal certainly came as a surprise to all, as all eyes were on today’s boxing event led by Jitender and Vijender Kumar carrying Indian hopes of a medal.

After Abhinav Bindra’s gold medal, the first ever Olympic gold for India, this is for the first time after 56 years that the Indian contingent will return from Olympic Games with more than one medal.