Gen-next of India wrestling will be gunning for their first shot at the Olympics as a 14-strong squad is finalised for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Kyrgyzstan.
The Tokyo 2020 run for two of India’s decorated Olympian wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Sakshi Malik is as good as over. Youngsters, Jitender Kumar and Sonam Malik are among the squad that will be vying for tickets to Tokyo via Kyrgyzstan. Jitender has retained his place in the national team with the 74kg silver at the New Delhi Asian Championships last week and Sonam yet again prevailed over Sakshi to earn the India berth for the Olympic qualifiers at the cost of the veteran.
Based on the outcome of the New Delhi Asian Championships and the Wrestling Federation of India trials at Lucknow and Sonepat yesterday (Wednesday), the WFI has confirmed the 14-member Indian squad for the Asian qualifiers.
India has already booked a berth in four of the eight Olympic wrestling categories across freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s disciplines for the Tokyo Games. That’s the reason only 14 players are named for the Qualifiers.
Ravi Dahiya (57kg), Bajrang Punia (65kg) and Deepak Punia (86kg) all freestyle and Vinesh Phogat in women’s 53kg are through for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The other 14 in contention include Satyavrat Kadyan, Greco-Roman Asian Champion Sunil Kumar, rising star Divya Kakran and promising Sonam and Anshu.
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While 11 wrestlers were picked for the Qualifiers on the strength of their Asian Championships performance, the other three came via trials.
Freestyle:
74kg – Jitender
97kg – Satyawart Kadian
125kg – Sumit
Greco-Roman:
60kg – Gyanender
67kg – Ashu
77kg – Sajan
87kg – Sunil Kumar
97kg – Hardeep
130kg –Naveen
Women Wrestling:
50kg – Nirmala Devi
57kg – Anshu
62kg – Sonam Malik
68kg – Divya Kakran
76kg — Kiran