Teen sensation Antim Panghal humbled Tokyo Olympics medallist Bolortuya Bat-Ochir 3-1 to win a bronze medal but other Indian wrestlers struggled badly at the Asian Games here on Thursday.
The 19-year-old Antim bounced back after losing to two-time Japanese world champion Akari Fujinami in the quarterfinals in a superb manner as she did not let the Mongolian attack much in the women's 53kg bronze play-off.
Antim saved the day for the Indian contingent which badly needed a medal after Narinder Cheema (Greco-Roman 97kg), Naveen (Greco Roman 130kg) and Pooja Gehlot (women's 50kg) were ousted.
Pooja was outplayed 2-9 in the bronze medal bout by Aktenge Keunimjaeva, the Asian championship bronze winner.
A lot was expected from Mansi Ahlawat (women's 57kg) too but she ended up losing her bronze play-off 'by fall' to Uzbekistan's Laylokhon Sobirova, who needed just 70 seconds to win the contest.
Antim had come to Hangzhou after winning a bronze at the world championships and she carried her good form into the prestigious event.
Her bronze is only the second wrestling medal of this edition.
In other match-ups, Cheema lost his quarterfinal 1-3 to South Korea's Lee Seyeol 1-3, while Mansi was defeated 2-5 by Japan's Sakurai Tsugumi in the last-eight round.
Greco-Roman grappler Naveen, too, lost his quarterfinal contest 0-3 to 25-year-old Chinese Meng Lingzhe.
Bajrang Punia (65kg), who was widely criticised for accepting a direct entry into the Asian Games and the supremely talented Aman Sehrawat (56kg), will be in action on Friday.