The Indian wrestlers performed brilliantly at the 2020 season’s first ranking series event that concluded on Saturday. The gold medal winning performance of both Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat in Rome has taken them to number 2 in the world rankings in their respective weight categories. The United World Wrestling (UWW) has released their latest rankings post Rome event and for the first time ever the Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers Gurpreet Singh and Sunil Kumar also has made entry into top 10 of the world rankings on back of their medals in Rome.
Bajrang Punia back to number 2 in 65kg
India’s most celebrated wrestler Bajrang Punia looked rusty and little short of match practice, but still he was good enough for the Gold medal at the Rome Ranking series. Result, he is back to number 2 in the world rankings in the 65kg category. The 2019 world champion Rashidov decided to skip the Rome event but still is ranked number 1 wrestler in the world in 65kg. Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan who won controversial semi-finals against Bajrang goes down to 3rd and Ismail Muszukajev of Hungary has fallen to number 4th.
Indian wrestling queen Vinesh Phogat jumps to number 2 in the world
The Rome ranking series gold has also taken Vinesh Phogat to number 2 in the ranking charts of 53kg category. The 2019 world bronze winner Phogat easily dismantled her opponents at Rome to finish at top of the podium resulting in she overtaking Mayu Mukaida of Japan in the UWW rankings.
Pak Yong Mi of North Korea who surprised everyone by winning gold at Nur-Sultan world championships in 2019 is still ranked number 1.
Another Indian women or rather teenager Anshu Malik has made her entry in top 10 of the 57kg weight category on the back of her silver medal winning performance in Rome. 18 year old Anshu debuts at number 9th in the ranking charts.
Ravi Dhaiya falls to number 4th
Just before the Rome Ranking series,Ravi Dhaiya decided to participate in Rome in the 61kg category instead of his regular 57kg category. He also managed winning gold in Rome but still has fallen in the UWW ranking charts. From number 3 in the world, Dhaiya has now fallen 1 step below to be ranked number 4th in the world. The 57kg category is headed by 2019 world champion Zavur Uguev of Russia.
First round loss for Deepak Punia, ranking stays intact at number 2
Deepak Punia still occupies number 2 rank in the 86kg category despite of losing in the first round in Rome. Like Deepak, Rahul Aware also has managed to hold on to his number 3 rank in the 61kg category despite of not participating in the Rome Ranking Series.
Greco-Roman wrestlers Gurpreet, Sunil biggest gainers
No one will now tell them that Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers are not up to the global standards. India’s Gurpreet Singh won gold and Sunil Kumar won silver in Rome and that has catapulted them to top 10 in the UWW world rankings for the first time. In the 82kg weight category, Gurpreet debuts at number 10th in the world jumping 15 places from 25th. The biggest gainer was Sunil Kumar in the 87kg category who has moved from 33rd position to 10th.
Freestyle
57kg – Ravi Dhaiya moves down to number 4 from 3 / Zavur Uguev (Russia) is number 1
61kg – Rahul Aware stays at number 3
65kg – Bajrang Punia moves up to 2 from 4th / Rashidov (Russia) from number 1 Daulet Niyazbekov goes down to 3 and Ismail Muszukajev (Hun) to number 4th
70kg
74kg – Sidakov is number 1 / Chamizo number 2 / Borroughs drops to 5 / Kyle Dake debuts @ 9th
79kg – Jitendar stays @ 8th
86kg – Deepak Punia stays at number 2 / Hassan Yazdani moves to number 1
92kg – Praveen is number 7th, Jaden Cox is number 1
97kg – Sadulaev number 1 / Snyder drops to number 3 / Sharifov Sharif – Azerbaijan number 2
125kg –
Women Freestyle
50kg – No Indian
53kg – Vinesh Phogat moves up to number 2 from 3 / Pak Yong Mi is number 1 and Mayu Mukaida is number 3
55kg – No wrestler from India – Winchester is world number 1
57kg – Anshu Malik debuts at number 9th- Risako Kawai is world number 1
59kg – Pooja Dhanda stays at number 6th / Linda Morris of Canada number 1
62kg / 65kg / 68kg – No Indian wrestler
72kg – Komal Bhagwan number 10th / Natalia Vobroyeva (Russia) number 1
76kg – Adeline Gray is number 1
Greco-Roman
Not even 1 Indian wrestler is in TOP 10 of the rankings in any of the category
82kg – Gurpreet Singh debuts in top 10 @ 10th from 25th
87kg – Sunil Kumar moves from 33rd to top 10
