Seven wrestlers from India qualified for the last two Olympic Games. But this time, India will have to go to Paris with six wrestlers. The failure of any Greco-Roman style wrestler to qualify for the second time is also a matter of great concern.
The good thing is that Vinesh Phogat will now meet the winner of the trial to be held in the country on June 10. If she wins her only bout, this will be her third Olympics. No Indian women wrestler before her has been able to do this.
Vinesh has won a gold in Asian Games, CWG and a medal in the World Championship.
If she wins a medal in Olympics, she will become one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
Till now, Sushil Kumar is the only wrestler who has won all four medals in Asiad, CWG, Olympics and World Championships. He is also the country’s only world champion. But he didn`t win an Asian Games gold but Vinesh had won in 2018.
Vinesh is the only wrestler of India after Sakshi Malik, who won her bout in Rio as well as Tokyo. Neither Geeta Phogat nor Babita or neither Seema, Anshu Malik or Sonam Malik could not do it.
The first participation of Indian women wrestlers in the Olympics was in the 2012 at London. Then Geeta Phogat entered as the only contestant among women.
This time the situation is similar in men’s wrestling where Aman has got an Olympic quota in 57 kg freestyle.
Aman is the only wrestler in the competition who has scored the most points. He defeated a wrestler from Bulgaria, Ukrain and North Korea and got overall of 34 points in three bouts and lost only eight.
Aman is also from the same Akhada where his senior Ravi Dahiya won a silver in the last Olympics at Tokyo. Taking the tradition forward, Aman won the Asian Championship, World U-23 and Asian U-23 tournament.
When India was going through difficult times in international competitions in the senior category, Aman boosted India’s hopes by winning gold in the Zagreb Open, a ranking tournament at Croatia.
It would be better to call it Jaideep’s bad luck in 65 kg, Despite winning three wrestling bouts in Istanbul, India couldn`t get the Olympic quota. So the hope of Bajrang Punia is also abolished.
Antim Panghal, got an Olympic quota in the last World Championship. Vinesh, Anshu Malik and Ritika got an Olympic quota in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in 50, 57 and 76 kg respectively. And now in Istanbul.
Nisha got an Olympic quota in 68 kg category. This time, the team can at least be expected to repeat its Tokyo`s performance.