NEW DELHI: The focus turns to two-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat as she leads a contingent of 16 Indian wrestlers aiming for quota places at the Asia Olympic qualifiers in Bishkek, commencing this Friday.
A total of 36 quotas will be contested across freestyle, women, and greco-roman disciplines, with India competing in all but one weight category.
Notably, Antim Panghal, 19, secured a quota place for India in the women's 53kg category following her bronze medal performance at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
The upcoming qualifiers present an opportunity for other Indian wrestlers like Vinesh (50kg), Reetika Hooda (76kg), current Under-23 world champion Anshu (57kg), Mansi (62kg), and Nisha (68kg) to showcase their skills and secure quota places.
However, none of the Indians will be under the scanner like Vinesh, the 2018 Asian Games and 2022 Commonwealth Games medallist, who was one of the face of Indian wrestlers' protest against former national federation (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The 29-year-old, who has been in the news for wrong reasons of late, had won the national trials in March in 50kg. Though, at the selection trials in Patiala, she had competed in the 53kg category as well after the authorities allowed her but she lost in the semifinals.
Vinesh also had alleged that her personal coach and physio were being denied accreditation for the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament.
She will be desperate to put all the noise behind her and put up a good show to make it to what could be her third Olympics.
In men's freestyle category, Aman Sehrawat (57kg) will hog the limelight after he earned his place after outwitting Tokyo Olympic medallist Ravi Dahiya in the national trials.
He also looks in good form as he had claimed a gold at the Zagreb Open in January this year.
Among others, Sujeet too will be closely watched as he leads the challenge in 65kg category following the failure of Tokyo bronze medallist Bajrang Punia.
Deepak Punia (86kg), who had come close to winning a medal at the Tokyo Games, will also eye a good outing, while Jaideep (74kg), Deepak (97kg) and Sumit (125kg) will also look to produce their best game to claim a quota for India.
There will be no gold medal, repechage or bronze-medal bouts in the continental qualifiers with winners of both semi-finals in each Olympic weight class earning a quota for their countries at the Paris Games.
In greco-roman, Sumit (60kg), Ashu (67kg), Vikas (77kg), Sunil (87kg), Nitesh (97kg) and Naveen (130kg) will look for a good show.
(With PTI inputs)The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
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