2024 Paris Games, Indian wrestling: All you need to know
The 2024 Paris Olympics is set to begin on July 26 in Paris, the capital of France, with over 10,000 athletes featuring across sports. Notably, India will field six wrestlers across categories at the Games. Aman Sehrawat is the only Indian male wrestler to claim the Olympic berth this time. India enters the Paris Games with seven medals in wrestling.
A look at Indian wrestling contingent
India's wrestling contingent for Paris Games: Aman Sehrawat, (men's 57kg), Vinesh Phogat (women's 50kg), Antim Panghal (women's 53kg), Anshu Malik (women's 57kg), Nisha (women's 68kg), and Reetika Hooda (women's 76kg). This is the first time that seedings have been introduced in wrestling. Notably, only Aman (fourth) and Antim (sixth) have been seeded from the Indian contingent.
Seven Olympic medals in wrestling
It is worth noting that seven of India's Olympic medals have come in wrestling as the tally includes two silver and five bronze. Field hockey (12) is the only event in which the nation boasts more Olympic medals. KD Jadhav was the first Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal. He won bronze way back in the 1952 Helsinki Games.
Exploits of wrestler Sushil Kumar
India had to wait 56 years after Jadhav's bronze to win another Olympic medal in wrestling. The drought ended with Sushil Kumar's bronze in the 2008 Beijing Games. The wrestler fought in the 66kg category. Four years later, Sushil clinched a silver medal in the 2012 London Games. He hence became the first Indian to win two individual Olympic medals post independence.
India's other Olympic medalists in wrestling
The 2012 London Games also saw Yogeshwar Dutt win the bronze medal in the men's freestyle 60kg category. At the 2016 Rio Games, Sakshi Malik became the first female wrestler to win an Olympic medal for India. Ravi Kumar Dahiya won the silver medal in the men's freestyle 57kg event at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Bajrang Punia also secured the bronze medal (65kg).
Who are India's medal hopefuls?
Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medalist, though unseeded, Vinesh Phogat is among the medal hopefuls for India in wrestling. Antim, who won bronze medals at the World Championships and the Asian Games in 2023, is also one of the contenders. As mentioned, Aman, the 2022 Under-23 world champion, is the only male wrestler in the Indian contingent.
