Antim Panghal, a remarkable 19-year-old Indian wrestler, clinched the bronze medal in the women’s 53kg event at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia. In a stunning opening round, she defeated the reigning world champion, Dominique Olivia Parrish of the USA, with a 3-2 victory.
Antim continued her impressive run, securing a Paris 2024 Olympic quota for India, a historic achievement for the nation in wrestling at the upcoming Summer Games.
“There is difference between junior and senior level but not as big as I used to think. Few countries are very good but those are just two or three. I used to think every wrestler at the senior level Is strong but it’s not so,” Antim told RevSportz.
In a highly competitive bronze medal match, Antim Panghal demonstrated her prowess by defeating Sweden’s two-time European champion, Emma Jonna Denise Malmgren, with a commanding 16-6 victory via technical superiority. Prior to this, she had displayed her dominance throughout the tournament, triumphing over opponents like Poland’s Roksana Marta Zasina and Russia’s Natalia Malysheva.
However, in the women’s 53kg freestyle semi-finals, Panghal faced a tough challenge from Belarusian wrestler Vanesa Kaladzinskaya, who narrowly secured victory with a 5-4 margin.
“The bout against Sweden was for bronze medal. I knew that I will get one more chance to win the Olympic quota but not bronze medal. So I thought I have to do everything to win the bronze. It was a good bout,” Antim added.
It’s worth noting that the participation of athletes in the Paris 2024 Olympics is contingent upon their National Olympic Committees (NOCs) selecting them to represent their respective countries. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Antim Panghal and India’s wrestling community, with hopes running high for a strong performance at the Olympic stage.
For Antim, her next assignment will be the Hangzhou Asian Games as she is set to fly out to China on October 1.
“I have to fly for the Asian Games on October 1 so I will get little rest. I will recover and win a medal there,” Antim concluded.
Also Read: Agony to Ecstasy – How Antim Panghal won Bronze and Sealed an Olympic Berth