Achieving the best ever feat till date, 12 Indian wrestlers grabbed their spots in the top ten in 30 weight categories of the recently updated United World Wrestling rankings. Out of 10 men’s freestyle wrestling category, 6 Indian wrestlers positioned themselves within the top 10. These rankings are a result of their performance in the just concluded Ranking series in January, 2020.
In freestyle wrestling, Ravi Kumar Dhahiya grabbed the 4th and the 10th spot in the 57kg and 61kg weight category respectively. Wrestler Rahul Aware was placed at the 3rd spot in 61kgs and Bajrang Punia and Deepak Punia was placed 2nd in 65kg and 86kg weight category respectively.
Though he got a good place in the UWW rankings, 2019 world silver medallist Deepak Punia shockingly lost in the opening round of the 86kg category in Rome Ranking series in January. Punia was completely off-color as he was defeated by 2018 Pan American Games runner up Ethan Adrian Ramos of Portugal in completely one sided encounter. Bajrang Punia had a tough beginning to the series against USA big hope Zain Allen Retherford but ended up bagging gold in the 54kg weight category in Matteo Pellicone. On the other hand, Wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya clinched the gold by defeating Kazakhstan’s Nurbolat Abdualiyev in 61 kg category final.
Freestyle Wrestlers Parveen and Jitender got the 7th and 8th spot in 79kg and 92 kg weight category. The 70kg, 74kg, 97kg and 125 kg weight categories in men’s freestyle was a miss for India this time.
On the other hand, in women’s wrestling, Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, Pooja Dhanda and Komal Bhagwan Gole sealed the 2nd, 9th , 6th , and 10th spot in 53kg, 57 kg, 59kg and 72kg weight category respectively. Vinesh Phogat won gold in the Rome Ranking series after defeating Ecuador’s Luiz Elizabeth Velvarde. Junior Asian Champion Anshu Malik was spectacular throughout the Rome Ranking series but lost in the final to Nigeria’s Odunayo Folasade Adekuoroye earning a silver.
In Greco-roman style, wrestler Gurpreet Singh and Kumar Sunil got placed in the 10th spot in 82kg and 87kg respectively in the UWW rankings.
Below is the list of Ranking
Greco-Roman Rankings
Gurpreet World No 10
Sunil World No 10
Sajan World No 14
WW
Vinesha Phogat World No 2
Anshu World No 9
Pooja Dhanda World No 6
Divya Kakran World No 12
Komal Gole World No 10
Freestyle
Bajrang Punia World No 2
Deepak Punia World No 2
Rahul Aware World No 3
Ravi Kumar World No 4
Jitnder World No 8 ( 79Kg)
Parveen World No 7
