Aman Sehrawat inches one step closer to securing an Olympic quota at the Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers, which is being in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Friday. As many as 17 Indians made it to the qualifiers hoping to secure maximum quotas for the Paris Games.
Aman Sehrawat raced into the semi-finals
Aman Sehrawat, an Asian Champion competing in the Men’s 57 kg category, is one of the key members of the Indian squad. His performance at the qualifiers was commendable as he successfully advanced to the semifinals. Aman is the only Indian who survived the early round to qualify for the semis by defeating Yerassyl Mukhtaruly of Kazakhstan with a 10-0 victory in their opening match 57kg.
This achievement brought him one step closer to securing a quota place for India in the upcoming Summer Games. He will be up against defending champion Gulomjon Abdullaev of Uzbekistan
Setbacks for Deepak Punia, Sumit, and Jaideep
Unfortunately, not all members of the Indian team had a smooth journey at the qualifiers. Deepak Punia, a Tokyo Olympian and silver medalist at the World Championships, was scheduled to compete in the Men’s 86 kg category. However, he and Sujeet Kalakal missed the qualifiers due to flight delays in Dubai caused by heavy rains. This unforeseen circumstance prevented them from reaching Bishkek in time for the weigh-ins, which are mandatory for wrestlers.
India at Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers at Bishkek today:
Only one out of 4 Indian wrestlers in action today remains in the hunt for Quota place: Aman Sehrawat (FS 57kg).
Other 3 eliminated: Jaideep (FS 74kg) | Deepak (FS 97kg) | Sumit (FS 125kg)
Deepak Punia (FS 86kg)… pic.twitter.com/qKAfsH7ezz
— India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) April 19, 2024
Similarly, Deepak, Sumit and Jaideep, who were competing in the Men’s Freestyle 97 kg, 125 kg and 74 kg categories respectively, were eliminated from the competition. Their losses were a setback for the Indian team, which was aiming to secure a significant number of quotas at the event.
Despite these setbacks, the Indian wrestling team remains hopeful. The wrestlers who missed or were eliminated from the Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers still have a chance to secure quotas for the Summer Games through the World Qualification Tournament scheduled in May. The team’s spirit remains undeterred, and they continue to train and prepare for the upcoming opportunities.
