India's Suchika Tariyal secured a bronze medal in the women's traditional 60kg mixed martial arts event at the Asian Games on Monday after her gruelling semifinal bout against Singapore's Hui Hoon Teo ended in a draw. Teo was awarded the win based on her lower body weight, sending her into the final.
This was India's maiden medal in the discipline that made its debut at the 20th edition of the Games.
Tariyal, however, was shattered by the result and wept bitterly on the mat once the final decision was announced in Teo's favour.
The bronze took India's overall medal tally to six at the continental showpiece.
Shooters have bagged four silver medals and one bronze so far.
The closely-fought bout ended in a draw after regulation time, with Teo mounting an attack in the final few seconds. But Tariyal managed to get her opponent down just as the buzzer went off.
Teo had the better of the first period, but Tariyal fought back strongly in the second.
With neither fighter able to establish a clear advantage, the bout went into a one-minute extra round. Tariyal thought she had done enough to win, while Teo also celebrated at the final buzzer.
The bout was initially ruled in Teo's favour but after an Indian challenge, the result was declared a draw and the winner was then determined by the fighters' morning weights.
"After the Indian challenge, the result of the bout was declared drawn. The winner was then decided on the basis of the weights of competing athletes according to morning weigh-in," MMA Sports Federation president Nikhil Kunde told PTI.
"Since, the Singaporean was lighter than Suchika by around 700 grams, she moved to the final. Suchika settled for bronze."
Teo was subsequently declared the winner 2-0 and advanced to the final, leaving Tariyal visibly upset.
The Indian broke down in tears and did not immediately go across to shake hands with her opponent or the referee, while her coach consoled her.
Despite the disappointment, the bronze is India's first-ever medal in mixed martial arts at the Asian Games.
The 36-year-old from Haryana took up combat sports after facing street harassment as a 12-year-old and went on to become a multi-discipline combat sport athlete, representing India in judo at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and in kurash at the 2023 Asian Games.
She had assured herself of a medal on Sunday by defeating Mongolia's Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the quarterfinals to enter the last four.
(With inputs from PTI)
