The current crop of Indian wrestlers are gearing up for the next year’s Tokyo Olympics. From Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya to Vinesh Phogat, these senior grapplers are India’s best hopes for an Olympic medal. But there is another pool of athletes who are sweating it out on the mat only to replace their senior counter-parts by 2024 Paris Games.
While some of these promising wrestlers have already tasted the senior level wrestling and reckon their chances at the Tokyo Games, others are still waiting for an opportunity to prove their relevance. And if there is one wrestler who stands out from the rest is Sonam Malik. She is often dubbed as the flag-bearer of the next-gen of the Indian wrestling team.
She is still, 19 but has overpowered an Olympic medallist on two occasions. Sonam became India’s first choice in 62kg women’s wrestling after defeating Sakshi Malik twice in the national trials. The youngster is yet to get some experience at the senior level but her performances at the cadet level are enough to justify the talent she packs in her.
Here are the wrestlers who can be the next big things in Indian wrestling:
-Pooja Gehlot: The 22-year-old is probably the biggest name in India’s lightweight categories – 50 kg and 53kg. But while 53kg is already dominated by the 2018 Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, Pooja harbours an Olympic dream in the 50kg.
“Currently I am recovering from a shoulder injury but if given a chance I will wrestle at the 50kg,” she had told WrestlingTV.
The top spot 50kg weight class is currently held by the veteran Nirmala Devi. She is 2010 Commonwealth Games champion and 2020 Asian Championship silver medallist. Pooja understands that it will be a tough task but believes that her training will help her during the try-outs.
Pooja is a 2019 Under-23 World Championships silver medallist in 53kg. In 2014 she finished second at the cadet National Championships. Then in 2015, she won the junior National Championships gold and two years later, she became the junior Asian Champion.
-Anshu: Both Sonam and Anshu share a similar journey to senior wrestling. Just like her best friend and room partner, Anshu too overthrew a heavyweight to become India’s number one choice for the Olympic Qualifiers for Tokyo 2020.
The promising prospect started her senior level wrestling after defeating Pooja Dhanda at the national trials to seal the 57kg spot for Rome Rankings Series and Asian Championships. At her debut seniors competition – Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series — she won a silver medal. At the Asian Championship, she won a bronze medal.
She is still inexperienced at the highest level. But she managed to cover the lack of experience with her flawless prowess on the mat. The 19-year-old has 2017 cadet world champion and 2019 Junior Asian Champion.
-Gaurav Baliyan: Gaurav Baliyan’s win at 2019 Wrestling National Championship 74kg final against the heavyweight Parveen Rana had more than one meanings to it. First, there was a new kid in town who was ready to walk equal strides with his seniors. Second, the 74kg spot will soon be a battle between the seniors vs the youngsters.
Baliyan is the youngest amongst the wrestlers who are eyeing a spot in the Indian team in 74kg weight class for the Olympics. He is up against the likes of two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, 2019 Asian Championship silver medallist Parveen Rana, 2010 Commonwealth Games Champion Narsingh Yadav and current number one choice Jitender.
But just like other young stars, what he lacks in experience he covers it with his talent. Baliyan is amongst the youngest national champions. In 2016 he first won the School National title. It was followed up with the first of two cadet national titles a year later. He is also a silver medallist at the World Cadets.
In his first outing with the senior team at the Asian Championships, Baliyan settled for a silver in the 79kg.
-Sonam: Although she has not done much at the senior level unlike her best friend Anshu, Sonam is proven name in at the cadet level. She is the two-time cadet world champion (2017 and ’19), and 2019 cadet Asian championship silver medallist. Currently, she is India’s top choice in the 62kg ahead of Sakshi Malik.
-Ravinder: One of the flag-bearers of next-gen of Indian wrestlers, Ravinder is the 2019 U23 world championship, silver medallist. The Haryana wrestler won the School National gold in 2013 before winning a bronze in the 2013 Asian Cadet Championships. The following year he saw Ravinder secure the Senior National silver.
Ravinder is currently recovering from an ACL injury but hopes will be ready for the trials in 65kg – currently dominated by Bajrang Punia — should the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) announce it.
