BISHKEK : Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat secured a Paris Olympics 2024 quota for her country after beating Laura Ganikyzy by 10-0 in the semifinals of the women’s 50 kg during the Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers.
This victory takes her a step closer to achieving her third successive Olympic spot. Though she has won the quota, it belongs to the country, instead of the individual, as per ESPN.
This competition marks her return to international wrestling after sustaining a knee injury last August, which required surgery. She was also a part of the wrestler’s protest in India against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its former president, Brij Bhushan Singh, where allegations of sexual harassment were made against Brij.
Vinesh was competing in the 50 kg category instead of her usual 53 kg division, where young wrestler Antim Panghal has already secured a quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics. This is her first major international outing since the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where she got a gold medal. She won a gold medal in 55 kg at the nationals in February this year and finished first in the 50 kg division during the trials in March.
Later, Anshu Malik also secured a quota for her country, beating Kyrgyzstan’s Kalmira Bilimbekova in the quarterfinals by technical superiority and then Uzbekistan’s Laylokhon Sobirova in the semifinals by 10-0 .
In the 62 kg category, Mansi, however, returned empty-handed after going down to reigning Asian Games champion North Korea’s Hyon G Mun by 0-6 in the semifinals.
The U23 wrestling champion, Reetika, also secured the Olympic quota for India in the women’s 76 kg category. In the semis, she beat Taiwan’s Hui T Chang by 7-0. (ANI)