Aman Sehrawat’s grit and sharp focus helped him become the first male wrestler to earn India a ticket to Paris 2024 Olympic Games with a commendable show in the World Qualifier in Istanbul on Saturday. A loss in the semifinals has left Sujeet Kalkal with the task of winning both his bouts on Sunday to join Sehrawat as the only freestyle wrestlers from India to make it to Paris.
Sehrawat beat Asian Games silver medallist Han Chong-Song (North Korea) 12-2 with a dominant show in the men’s freestyle 57kg draw. The second highest ranked wrestler in the competition at World No. 8, he showcased his superior skills in each of his three bouts to claim the Olympic Games quota.
He did well to not let the 0-10 defeat by Uzbekistan’s Gulomjon Abdullaev in the semifinals Asian Olympic Games Qualifier in Bishkek create doubts in his mind. This was evident from the manner in which he beat Georgi Vangelov (Bulgaria) 10-4 and Andri Yatsekno (Ukraine) 12-2 in the quarterfinal to raise visions of him breaching the darkness enveloping Indian men’s wrestling.
Kalkal will have to win both his 65kg class bouts on Sunday in the World Qualifier in Istanbul. He faced a 1-6 reverse at the hands of Mongolia’s Tumur Ochir in the semifinals on Saturday. He will have to win his bronze medal clash and then the bout with the other bronze medallist to claim the last quota available to Indians.
Kalkal was one of the two Indians who could compete in the Asian Olympic Qualifier in Bishkek last month as they were stuck in Dubai airport for two days and were unable to reach the Kyrgyzstan capital in time for the weigh in. He overcame any negative thoughts around the missed opportunity and focused on the task on hand.
After a slow and perhaps nervous start against Umidjon Jalolov (Uzbeikstan), who he edged out 3-2, Kalkal came into his own with commanding 10-0 victories over Junsik Yun (South Korea) in the round of 16 and Lachlan McNeil (Canada) in the quarterfinals.
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Aman beat Chongsong Han (North Korea) 12-2 in the men’s freestyle 57kg semifinals of the World Olympic Games Qualifier in Istanbul on Saturday.He became the first male wrestler to earn India a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.#Paris2024 @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/jSC0kyGHuD
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) May 11, 2024
The 20-year-old Jaideep had a good run with victories over V Diacon (Moldova) and Marchl S (Austria) 11-0 in the 74kg before losing 0-3 to three-time World Championships medallist Tajmuraz Salkazanov (Slovakia) in quarterfinals. He conceded a takedown in the first period and an activity point in the second.
He will wait to see if the Slovakian wins his semifinal bout so that he himself gets a crack at a bronze medal on Sunday and at the third quota available in the weight category.
Deepak Punia, fifth in the Tokyo Olympics in the 86kg class, was the biggest disappointment as he was expected to lead the Indian challenge, fuelled by the fact that he missed the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier in Bishkek last month after being stranded in the Dubai airport. He lost his opening bout to China’s Zushen Lin.
Though the Chinese is ranked World No. 12, Punia was expected to mount a spirited challenge. But he lost 4-6 and bowed out. Since the Chinese lost in the quarterfinals, Punia will not figure in the repechage rounds on Sunday. With one win in five bouts this year, he will have to work hard with the 2026 Asian Games in view.
In the 97kg category, 20-yer-old Deepak lost 1-5 to Macadeonia’s Magomedgadji Omardibirovich Nurov, a Tokyo 2020 competitor. The Indian could find some consolation, if it can be called that, in his not being outclassed like he was by Arash Yoshida (Japan) in the Asian Olympic Game Qualifier last month. As Nurov bowed out in the pre-quarterfinal stages, Deepak’s hope of getting a place in the repechage rounds went up in smoke.
Sumit lost his opening clash to Jamaica’s Aaron Anthony Johnson in the 125kg category. Sumit, who lost his first round bout in the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier in Biskhek last month, led the higher-ranked Jamaican with five seconds left but Johnson forced a step out to tie the scores 2-2 and win the bout on criteria. Since the Jamaican lost his very next bout, the pre-quarterfinals, Sumit would not figure in the repechage rounds on Sunday.