Wrestling Olympic Qualification enters in it’s final stages with the final World Qualification tournament in Istanbul Turkey.
14 India wrestlers, 2 women & 12 men will be in action across three disciplines, and will be looking to add to the tally of 4 Quotas won so far.
The World Qualifier offers three Olympic Quotas in each category, so the finalists will be taking 2 quotas and the remaining one will be taken by the winner of the quota playoff bout between the two 3rd placed wrestlers in each category. There will be repechage bouts to decide the 3rd placed wrestlers.
India has managed to win 4 Olympics Quotas so far. Indian Male wrestlers till now have drawn blank, and are looking at a dangerous possibility of having zero representation in the Paris Olympics.
Women’s wrestling has been the face saver winning all 4 quotas till date. Antim Panghal won the 1st Quota in the 53 kg category at the world championships last year. The remaining three were won by Vinesh Phogat(50 kg),Anshu Malik(57 kg) & Reetika Hooda(76 kg) at the Asian Qualifier last month.
At the World Olympic Qualifier,India will aim to win the remaining two quotas in the womens categories courtesy of Mansi(62 kg) & Nisha Dahiya(68 kg). Let’s dive into the possibilities and the analysis of the draws.
WOMEN’S 62 KG:
India’s best 62 kg Wrestler Sonam Malik is currently injured and in her absence the responsibility falls on the shoulders of Mansi Ahlawat. She failed to win the quota at the Asian Qualifier last month, and will look to capitalise this time around.
She has got a tough draw facing top seed & 2024 European bronze medallist ,Belarusian Veranika Ivanova in the 1st round itself. Winning the first round itself looks tough but if she somehow manages to clear it, she might potentially face Irina Kuznetsova of Kazakhstan in the quarter finals. Mansi did beat Irina at the Asian Qualifier last month and we can expect her to repeat the same this time around as well. Semis will probably be against Long Jia of China or Kriszta Incze of Roumania. Both are good wrestlers but probably not as tough as Ivanova. So the 1st round bout should be the most challenging one for Mansi.
WOMEN’S 68KG:
Nisha Dahiya will look to redeem herself after failing to win it at the Asian Qualifier last month. She has got a much better draw than Mansi, with Zhou Feng,Linda Morais and Mimi Hristova all in the Opposite half.
Nisha will face either of Alina Shauchuk(AIN) or Garnica Flores(MEX) in the 1st round. Expecting her to win this one comfortably. Next up will most likely be 2024 European Bronze medallist Adela Hanzlickova(CZE). Nisha has a win over Adela from the 2022 World championships,but Adela has been in great form this year so this could go either way. If she manages to cross the quarter final hurdle, she will probably face former world medallist Alexandra Nicoleta Anghel(ROU) in the semis,which is winnable to say the least.
So all in all expecting Nisha to qualify directly or through Repechage tomorrow. For Mansi it is tougher. If she can clear the 1st round hurdle then we can expect her to take it as well. Best wishes to both the Athletes!
