What to anticipate from Indian wrestlers at Paris Olympics – a SWOT evaluation | Paris Olympics 2024 Information – Occasions of India

What to anticipate from Indian wrestlers at Paris Olympics – a SWOT evaluation | Paris Olympics 2024 Information – Occasions of India

Indian wrestlers have constantly secured medals in each Olympic Video games since 2008 in Beijing, solidifying wrestling‘s place as a premier Olympic sport within the nation. This success has prolonged to the junior degree as nicely, with the emergence of U23 world champions, elevating expectations for excellent performances in Paris.
Sushil Kumar’s bronze medal in 2008 marked a turning level within the notion of wrestling in India.He surpassed his personal achievement by claiming silver within the 2012 London Video games, the place Yogeshwar Dutt additionally earned a bronze.
Sakshi Malik continued the custom with a bronze in Rio in 2016, and Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia secured a double triumph within the postponed Tokyo Video games (2021).
Regardless of the game’s speedy ascent and anticipation of even better accomplishments, the wrestling controversy and the protests that adopted harm the game. It left such an influence that just one male and 5 feminine wrestlers are a part of India’s Olympic contingent.
Nationwide camps and home tournaments had been suspended, resulting in uncertainty and confusion. Allegations and counter-arguments ensued. Though WFI elections had been performed and the nationwide physique confronted suspension, the lifting of the suspension by UWW signaled a return to normalcy.
However with just one male and 5 feminine wrestlers qualifying for the Paris Video games, there’s a mixture of hope and uncertainty surrounding the game’s future prospects.
AMAN SEHRAWAT (Males’s 57kg)
Aman’s constant enchancment led to an astonishing feat: he changed Ravi Dahiya, the Olympic silver medallist and essentially the most formidable Indian wrestler, within the males’s 57kg weight division.
Aman’s major asset is his distinctive stamina and endurance. If the bout lasts six minutes, will probably be troublesome to beat him.
However, his restricted technique and approach are areas that want enchancment. This was obvious throughout his match towards Rei Higuchi within the Rating Sequence occasion in Hungary, the place he appeared to lack a backup plan. At this degree of competitors, devising particular methods towards every opponent is essential.
Aman’s most important challenges come from Rei Higuchi and Gulomjon Abdullaev of Uzbekistan.
VINESH PHOGAT (Ladies’s 50kg)
Vinesh Phogat is undeniably one in every of India’s best feminine wrestlers. Her sturdy protection and spectacular offensive expertise are her key property.
However, her lack of serious mat-time towards elite opponents over the previous 12 months or so might pose challenges.
Dropping to the 50kg weight class places further pressure on her physique. The load-cut course of earlier than a match is grueling and drains the physique’s vitality, which is especially difficult for her as she approaches 30. With a pure physique weight of round 55-56kg, a lot will rely upon how Vinesh manages this modification.
ANTIM PANGHAL (Ladies’s 53kg):
Hisar’s dynamic wrestler was the primary to safe a spot within the Paris Olympics. Throughout the top of the wrestling protests associated to WFI chief, she additionally demanded a trial towards Vinesh.
Her distinctive flexibility is her best asset, enabling her to effortlessly escape her opponents’ grasp. Trapping her is a difficult activity. She possesses each spark and hearth.
However, she hasn’t participated in any competitions because the Asian Video games. A again harm prevented her from attending this 12 months’s Asian Championship. The absence of game-time and aggressive expertise may probably be her downfall.
ANSHU MALIK (Ladies’s 57kg)
Anshu’s journey on the earth of wrestling has been marked by ups and downs since her spectacular performances in junior competitions and her transition to senior occasions. Regardless of the challenges posed by accidents, she stays one in every of India’s high prospects on the Paris Olympics.
Her strengths are in fast motion and an aggressive strategy.
Her expertise competing on the Olympic degree, though as a young person in Tokyo the place she might not have been totally ready, has offered her with useful insights into the calls for of high-level competitors.
Nonetheless, as she approaches the Olympics, there are considerations about her health because of a possible shoulder harm. Though Anshu maintains that it’s merely a neck spasm, the shortage of thorough testing leaves some uncertainty surrounding her bodily situation.
NISHA DAHIYA (Ladies’s 68kg)
Rising star Nisha Dahiya has discreetly secured her spot within the Paris Video games, regardless of going through setbacks because of accidents that hindered her progress. She has bounced again since 2021, catching her expert opponents off guard along with her fierce combating fashion.
With a wealth of expertise underneath her belt, Dahiya’s fearless strategy is her best asset. Nonetheless, her lack of constant publicity to high-level competitions is a disadvantage, alongside along with her tendency to lose momentum within the last minutes of a bout.
A bouth that goes the gap typically poses issues for Nisha as a result of she tends to place her all the pieces within the first 4 minutes of her bouts.
Managing her nerves throughout her debut efficiency can even be essential to Nisha’s success.
REETIKA HOODA (Ladies’s 76kg)
Reetika is a formidable competitor within the wrestling circuit, possessing the power to catch her opponents off guard. Whereas not an entire stranger to the wrestling neighborhood, her distinctive energy can pose a major problem even to seasoned wrestlers.
Reetika’s arsenal consists of each spectacular energy and technical prowess. Nonetheless, she tends to provide away factors within the last 30 seconds of her matches.
Regardless of establishing a lead, she typically finds herself dropping these hard-earned factors. This implies that her Achilles’ heel could also be an absence of focus within the closing moments of her bouts.
(With PTI inputs)