An Indian MMA fighter suffered Asian Games heartbreak on Monday when she missed out on a chance at gold because she was 700g heavier than her opponent.
Suchika Tariyal was left distraught after being forced to settle for a bronze medal in the women’s traditional 60kg category in Nagoya.
Her gruelling semifinal bout with Teo Hui Hoon was declared a draw, but per competition rules the Singaporean squeezed into the gold-medal match because she was slightly lighter at the morning weigh-in.
A tablet computer or hardcover book is roughly the equivalent of the difference in weight between the two fighters.
“Today her weight was 700 grams lighter than mine,” the 36-year-old Suchika told the Hindustan Times.
“I didn’t fail the weigh-in, I gave my full weight strictly under 60kg.
“If I had weighed in a bit lower, maybe I could have won today.”
MMA is making its debut at the Asian Games with ambitions eventually to become an Olympic sport.
Source: Khaleej Times