Paris Olympics | Wrestlers Anshu, Antim and Sehrawat have their task cut out

Indian women wrestlers outnumber men in Olympic squad for Paris, led by Vinesh Phogat and Antim Panghal.

For the first time, women wrestlers have outnumbered men in the Indian squad bound for the Olympics in Paris.

Five women – two-time World championships bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat (50kg), Worlds and Asian Games bronze medallist Antim Panghal (53kg), former Worlds silver medallist Anshu Malik (57kg), Asian silver medallist Nisha Dahiya (68kg) and World under-23 champion Reetika Hooda (76kg) – form the bulk of the six-member squad, while former Asian champion Aman Sehrawat (57kg) is the lone male freestyle wrestler to secure a quota place.

Vinesh, a prominent face in the wrestlers’ protest, has dropped down from 53kg to 50kg for her third Olympics. A gritty competitor, Vinesh will face a dual challenge. The 29-year-old needs to cut at least seven to eight kg to fit into the lower weight and overcome several world-class opponents.

Japan’s four-time World champion and Olympic champion Yui Susaki, China’s Worlds bronze medallist Feng Jiqi, Mongolia’s triple Worlds bronze medallist Dolgorjavyn Otgonjargal, USA’s Tokyo bronze medallist Sarah Hildebrandt, North Korea’s Asian Games silver medallist Kim Son-hyang, Azerbaijan’s four-time Olympic medallist Mariya Stadnik are part of the star-studded line-up.

Double World under-20 champion Antim is seeded fourth and has got a good draw, in which she would avoid two strong opponents – Japan’s two-time World champion and Asian Games champion Akari Fujinami and Sweden’s two-time European champion.

In a short career, Antim has medalled in some big events and will be keen to make her Olympic debut successful. The top-half of 53kg draw may pit Antim against Ecuador’s Pan-American gold medallist and top-seeded Lucia Yepez, Greece’s three-time Worlds medallist Maria Prevolaraki and USA’s 2022 World champion Dominique Parrish.

Anshu will have to recover from her recent shoulder injury to make a mark in her second Olympics. Her category will be packed with proven performers, including Japan’s three-time World champion and Asian Games champion Tsugumi Sakurai, Nigeria’s four-time World medallist Odunayo Adekuoroye and USA’s double Olympic medallist and multiple Worlds medallist Helen Maroulis.