NEW DELHI:
Vinesh Phogat
continued her dominance on Saturday, securing a quota for the
Paris Olympics
in the
women's 50kg
category without conceding a single point at the
Asian Olympic Qualifier
in Bishkek,
Kyrgyzstan
.
This achievement marks India's second quota place for the Paris Games, following
Antim Panghal
's bronze medal-winning performance in the 53kg category at the World Championships last year.
The 29-year-old wrestler has now secured her third consecutive Olympic quota, having previously represented India in the Rio Games (2016) and Tokyo (2020). Despite facing challenges, Vinesh showcased her strength and experience throughout the tournament, swiftly defeating her opponents.
In her opening bout against Miran Cheon, Vinesh capitalised on an opportunity after carefully measuring her opponent, securing victory in just one minute and 39 seconds. Subsequent matches saw her employing her signature moves to swiftly overcome her rivals, including a strong performance against Laura Ganikyzy in the semifinals.
India's prospects for securing more quotas look promising, with Anshu Malik, Mansi Ahlawat, and Reetika reaching the semifinals in their respective categories. Anshu demonstrated her prowess with a victory over Kyrgyzstan's Kalmira Bilimbekova, while Mansi emerged triumphant against Kazakhstan's Irina Kuznetsova.
However, Nisha Dahiya faced tough competition in the 68kg category and couldn't advance to the semifinals. Despite a valiant effort in her opening bout against Sol Gum Pak from North Korea, Nisha fell short against local favorite Meerim Zhumanazarova in round 2.
With the World Qualifiers in Turkey scheduled for May 9, Indian wrestlers still have another opportunity to secure quota places for the Paris Games.
(With PTI inputs)
English (US) ·