NEW DELHI: Antim Panghal reaffirmed her status as one of the country’s top wrestlers by winning the World Championships trials in Patiala on Friday, while Divya Kakran and Sarita Mor rebounded from disappointing losses in the Asian Games trials to secure seats in the global competition.
Antim, who recently became the first Indian woman wrestler to win back-to-back U20 World gold when she defended her 53kg title in Amman (Jordan), also won the Asian Games trials last month.
She was kept on standby after an ad hoc committee formed by the Indian Olympic Association exempted Vinesh Phogat from trials and sent her name directly to the Sports Ministry for clearance.
However, Vinesh, the 2018 Asian Games gold medalist, had a knee injury, and Antim was added to the ministry’s roster of athletes bound for the Asian Games, which begin on September 23 in Hangzhou.
On Friday, Antim won again in a field of four wrestlers that featured Manju, Pooja Jat, and Rajni to clinch a spot in the World Championships in Belgrade, which begin on September 16.
After losing to U23 World Championship bronze medallist Mansi Ahlawat at the Asian Games trials last month, World Championships bronze medalist Sarita won the Worlds trials to claim a spot on the team.
Kakran, who had moved up from 68kg to 76kg at last month’s Asian Games trials but was unable to qualify for the continental event, made amends on Friday by winning the category and earning a ticket to Belgrade.
Kakran exacted sweet vengeance on Railways grappler Kiran, who had defeated her in the Asiad trials.
Antim Kundu, who won silver at the U20 World Championships in Amman, has also qualified for the Belgrade event in the 65kg division, beating out Sarika, Monika, and Ravita.
On Saturday, tryouts for the free-style team in all weight categories will be held.
It is unclear if the selected wrestlers will be permitted to fight under the India flag or the United World Wrestling (UWW) banner at the Worlds after the world body banned the Wrestling Federation of India on Thursday.
The UWW suspended the WFI for failing to hold its elections on schedule, preventing Indian grapplers from competing in the World Championships under the Indian flag.
The Indian wrestlers will have to compete as ‘neutral athletes’ at the Olympic-qualifying World Championships, which begin on September 16, because the IOA ad-hoc wrestling panel, led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa, was unable to meet the 45-day deadline for holding elections due to the matter being in court.
Selection trials results:
Women’s wrestling: 50kg: Neelam (UP); 53kg Antim (Har); 55kg: Neha (Del); 57kg: Sarita (RSPB); 59kg: Anjali (Har); 62kg: Manisha (Har); 65kg: Antim (Har); 68kg: Priyanka (Har); 72kg: Jyoti Berwal (Har); 76kg: Divya Kakran (UP).
Greco-Roman Style: 55kg Ajay (Del); 60kg Manish (RSPB); 63kg: Vikram (Mah); 67kg Vinayak (Mah); 72kg: Ankit Gulia (SSCB); 77kg: Gurpreet Singh (PB); 82kg: Sajan (RSPB); 87kg: Manoj Kumar (Har); 97kg: Sailesh (Mah); 130kg: Mehar Singh (SSCB).
(With inputs from PTI)
Antim, who recently became the first Indian woman wrestler to win back-to-back U20 World gold when she defended her 53kg title in Amman (Jordan), also won the Asian Games trials last month.
She was kept on standby after an ad hoc committee formed by the Indian Olympic Association exempted Vinesh Phogat from trials and sent her name directly to the Sports Ministry for clearance.
However, Vinesh, the 2018 Asian Games gold medalist, had a knee injury, and Antim was added to the ministry’s roster of athletes bound for the Asian Games, which begin on September 23 in Hangzhou.
On Friday, Antim won again in a field of four wrestlers that featured Manju, Pooja Jat, and Rajni to clinch a spot in the World Championships in Belgrade, which begin on September 16.
After losing to U23 World Championship bronze medallist Mansi Ahlawat at the Asian Games trials last month, World Championships bronze medalist Sarita won the Worlds trials to claim a spot on the team.
Kakran, who had moved up from 68kg to 76kg at last month’s Asian Games trials but was unable to qualify for the continental event, made amends on Friday by winning the category and earning a ticket to Belgrade.
Kakran exacted sweet vengeance on Railways grappler Kiran, who had defeated her in the Asiad trials.
Antim Kundu, who won silver at the U20 World Championships in Amman, has also qualified for the Belgrade event in the 65kg division, beating out Sarika, Monika, and Ravita.
On Saturday, tryouts for the free-style team in all weight categories will be held.
It is unclear if the selected wrestlers will be permitted to fight under the India flag or the United World Wrestling (UWW) banner at the Worlds after the world body banned the Wrestling Federation of India on Thursday.
The UWW suspended the WFI for failing to hold its elections on schedule, preventing Indian grapplers from competing in the World Championships under the Indian flag.
The Indian wrestlers will have to compete as ‘neutral athletes’ at the Olympic-qualifying World Championships, which begin on September 16, because the IOA ad-hoc wrestling panel, led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa, was unable to meet the 45-day deadline for holding elections due to the matter being in court.
Selection trials results:
Women’s wrestling: 50kg: Neelam (UP); 53kg Antim (Har); 55kg: Neha (Del); 57kg: Sarita (RSPB); 59kg: Anjali (Har); 62kg: Manisha (Har); 65kg: Antim (Har); 68kg: Priyanka (Har); 72kg: Jyoti Berwal (Har); 76kg: Divya Kakran (UP).
Greco-Roman Style: 55kg Ajay (Del); 60kg Manish (RSPB); 63kg: Vikram (Mah); 67kg Vinayak (Mah); 72kg: Ankit Gulia (SSCB); 77kg: Gurpreet Singh (PB); 82kg: Sajan (RSPB); 87kg: Manoj Kumar (Har); 97kg: Sailesh (Mah); 130kg: Mehar Singh (SSCB).
(With inputs from PTI)
