Nethmi Ahinsa Fernando created history

Nethmi Ahinsa Fernando created history yesterday as she beat Valeryia Mikitsich to clinch a historic bronze medal in the 53kg weight class at the 2024 U-20 World Championships Wrestling Tournament. The tournament is being held in Pontevedra, Spain.

Nethmi, who won a bronze medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the Women’s 57kg event, beat her opponent, neutral athlete Mikitsich by 6-2. This is her second international medal following the Birmingham Games in 2022, which marked Sri Lanka’s first ever medal in the sport of wrestling at world stage.

The freestyle wrester, who trains under her coach Suranga Kumara, beat Kazakhstan’s Yengilik Kabylbek 10-0 in the qualifying round, and continued her fine form by beating Nikol Krasimirova of Bulgaria 10-0 in the pre-quarterfinals.