India fields 14-member contingent in World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers, last chance to get Paris Olympic quota. wrestling news

India is fielding a 14-member squad for the World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers in Istanbul from Thursday, which is the last chance for wrestlers to secure their quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics. According to Olympics.com, the 14 wrestlers include Aman Sehrawat and Deepak Punia. This event will end on May 12. Two finalists in each weight category will earn Olympic quotas for their respective countries, with three quotas on offer in each weight category. The third quota will go to the winner of the playoff match between two bronze medalists of a particular weight category.

So far, India has secured only four quotas in wrestling for the multi-sport event, all of which have been won by female wrestlers.

Finalist Panghal (53kg) helped India clinch its first quota at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships, while during the Asian Olympic Qualifiers held last month, Vinesh Phogat (50kg), Anshu Malik (57kg) and Ritika Hooda ( 76 kg) added three more quotas. List.

In women’s wrestling, Mansi Ahlawat and Nisha, in 62kg and 68kg respectively, will be India’s sole representatives in Istanbul. Mansi missed out on a win during the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek, but will aim to go one step better and clinch the quota.

India has won five medals in freestyle wrestling during the last four editions of the Summer Olympics, two of which came at Tokyo 2020.

But Indian participation in men’s freestyle wrestling at Paris 2024 looks very low. It is up to former Asian and U23 world champion Aman Sehrawat and Olympian Deepak Punia to clinch the quota in the freestyle category and restore India’s good fortunes.

Aman, competing in the same weight category as Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Ravi Dahiya, also fell one win short of Kota at the Bishkek Asian Olympic Qualifier meet.

Deepak Punia, who missed out on a medal during Tokyo 2020, and Sujit Kalkal, who is competing in the same division as Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Bajrang Punia, could not play in the Bishkek qualifiers as their flights were delayed due to heavy rains. . Rain in Dubai. But both still have a chance to play in Istanbul and achieve their quota.

India would also like to secure quotas for all six Greco-Roman categories of wrestling.

*Indian wrestlers in World Wrestling Olympic Qualifier 2024

Men’s Greco-Roman: Sumit (60kg), Ashu (67kg), Vikas (77kg), Sunil Kumar (87kg), Nitesh (97kg), Naveen (130kg)

Women’s Freestyle: Mansi (62 kg), Nisha (68 kg)

Men’s freestyle: Aman Sehrawat (57kg), Sujeet (65kg), Jaideep (74kg), Deepak Punia (86kg), Deepak (97kg), Sumit (125kg).

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