‘We can win two or three medals in wrestling,’ says Yogeshwar Dutt

Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who won bronze at the 2012 Rio Olympics, is confident that India will win two or more medals in wrestling.

Faridabad: Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who won bronze at the 2012 Rio Olympics, is confident that India will win two or more medals in wrestling.

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India has secured six quotas for the Paris Olympics in various categories. Vinesh Phogat (women’s 50 kg), Anshu Malik (women’s 57 kg), Nisha Dahiya (women’s 68 kg), Reetika Hooda (women’s 76 kg), Antim Panghal (women’s 53 kg) and Aman Sehrawat (men’s 57 kg).

“We can win two or three medals in wrestling alone. Wrestling has given India medals in the last four Olympic events, so this time too Indian wrestlers will do well in the Olympics,” Yogeshwar Dutt told IANS about the ‘Glory of Five Rings’ event.

“Aman is the only male wrestler and I really hope he takes the medal in the category. We also have five female wrestlers, of which I expect three,” he added.

Antim Panghal and Aman Sehrawat are seeded fourth and sixth in their respective weight classes for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, which begin on July 26.

For the first time ever at the Olympics, there will be seedings where the top eight wrestlers in each weight class will get a chance. Two-time Olympian and national medal contender Vinesh Phogat will be unseeded in the women’s 50kg freestyle at Paris 2024.

The placements were awarded based on the wrestlers’ performances at the 2023 World Championships, the 2024 Continental Championships, the 2024 Zagreb Open Ranking Series and the 2024 Hungarian Ranking Series.

Earlier, the seven-member selection committee decided not to hold trials for the Paris Olympics after several quota wrestlers protested against it. When asked about WFI’s decision not to hold trials, Dutt said there is no need for national trials of a player who has secured a quota.

“I believe there is no need for trials if a particular player has already secured a quota for the event. The rule is quite old and should remain as such. Sushil Kumar qualified for three Olympic events through quota and I qualified for four Olympic events through quota, so there is no need for trials,” he said.

Thanks to her qualification, Antim will avoid facing rivals and two-time world champion Akari Fujinami of Japan, Qianyu Pang of the People’s Republic of China, who won silver in Tokyo 2020, and Emma Malmgren of Sweden, who has won two European titles, until the medal rounds.

In the semi-final, however, she could face Lucia Yepez from Ecuador, last year’s bronze medalist at the World Championships.

Meanwhile, Aman, the 2023 Asian champion and 2022 under-23 world champion, could face either Japan’s Rei Higuchi or Armenia’s Arsen Harutyunyan before the medal round begins.

Higuchi is a silver medalist at Rio 2016 and the 2022 world champion. Aman lost to him at the Hungarian Ranking Series in June, while Arsen Harutyunyan won bronze at the 2023 world championships.

The remaining four Indian wrestlers will not be seeded in Paris 2024. They will be randomly drawn into groups the day before the women’s freestyle wrestling event begins in Paris.

Wrestling at the 2024 Paris Olympics will see competition in 18 medal events, six each in the men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman. Sixteen wrestlers will compete in each of these events.

“My advice to all wrestlers: leave the pressure off the mat and perform at your own level,” Dutt concluded.