TDT | Manama

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Shamil Sharipov claimed wrestling bronze for Bahrain at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, yesterday after an impressive run through the men's freestyle 125kg competition.

Sharipov won three of his four bouts at Nagoya City Inae Sports Center, beginning his campaign with a dominant 11-0 victory over South Korea's Kim Gwanuk in the round of 16.

The Bahraini won by technical superiority without conceding a point and repeated the feat in the quarter-finals, beating Kyrgyzstan's Arslanbek Turdubekov by the same 11-0 scoreline to reach the last four.

Sharipov then faced China's Buheerdun in the semi-finals and built a 7-4 advantage before his opponent turned the contest around to win by fall, sending the Bahraini into a bronze-medal match.

He responded in style against Mongolia's Nambardagva Batbayar, shutting out his opponent 9-0 to secure Bahrain's latest medal with a victory by points.

Iran's Amir Hossein Zare went on to take gold in the division, with Buheerdun settling for silver. Sharipov shared bronze with Kazakhstan's Yedge Kasimbek.

The medal took Bahrain's overall tally to 22, comprising 11 gold, five silver and six bronze, leaving the kingdom ninth in the medal table.

Elsewhere, Bahrain's Khidir Saipudinov bowed out in the men's freestyle 86kg round of 16 following a 9-5 defeat to Kyrgyzstan's Malik Shavaev.

Alibeg Alibegov also saw his campaign end in the men's freestyle 65kg last after a closely fought contest against South Korea's Yun Junsik finished 5-5 on technical points, with Yun awarded the victory by points. Alibegov was eventually classified 14th.

Bahrain return to the mat today for the concluding day of wrestling, with Magomedrasul Asluev facing Tajikistan's Viktor Rassadin in the men's freestyle 74kg round of 16 and Magomed Sharipov taking on Uzbekistan's Sherzod Poyonov in the 97kg last 16.

The wrestling programme concludes on the penultimate day of the Asian Games.