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India secured the runner-up position in the overall team standings at the Asian ArmWrestling Cup 2024, held at the Aurika Skycity Hotel in Mumbai.
The host nation finished second in the medal tally, surpassed only by Kazakhstan, the world's leading country in arm wrestling. The Asian ArmWrestling Cup saw nine nations competing across six categories: para, masters, sub-junior, junior, youth, and seniors, with various weight divisions. Among the notable Indian winners were Denic Lalruattluanga from Mizoram, who took Gold in the Men's Seniors 80kg Right category, and Yogesh Chaudhary from Haryana, who claimed Gold in both the 80kg+ Left and Right categories in Women's Seniors. Denic Lalruattluanga's journey was marked by intense moments; he lost his opening match to Kazakh puller Islam Nurmanov but managed to reach the finals, facing Nurmanov once again. This time, Denic was confident he had found a weakness in the Kazakh's technique and ultimately defeated him. In a rematch necessitated by Nurmanov's undefeated streak, Denic, also known as the 'Strap Man', secured Gold for India with a swift flash pin against his Kazakh opponent. Yogesh Chaudhary's path to victory was similarly challenging, battling against formidable Kazakh competitor Arailym Kulzhemiyeva. Chaudhary prevailed in both hands, securing a Gold medal for India. India's overall medal tally stood at 223, comprising 63 gold, 100 silver, and 60 bronze medals. The Asian ArmWrestling Cup was a significant achievement for the People's ArmWrestling Federation India (PAFI), led by President Preeti Jhangiani. The PAFI, which also holds the rights to the 2025 official Asian ArmWrestling Championship, sees this success as promising for future international arm wrestling events in India. Reflecting on the event's success, PAFI President Preeti Jhangiani said, "We are thrilled with the turnout of 325 athletes from nine countries for the Asian ArmWrestling Cup. It's a step forward as we prepare for the 2025 official Asian ArmWrestling Championship, for which the venue will be announced soon. The Asian ArmWrestling Federation recognised this as the best Asian ArmWrestling Cup to date, and we are confident in making India a global hub for arm wrestling events. With the success of the Pro Panja League in 2023 and now the Asian ArmWrestling Cup in 2024, we anticipate a surge in international events in India." (ANI)
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