Indian wrestlers Reetika and Nisha Dahiya, who secured the Paris Olympics 2024 quotas for the country, urged the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to not conduct trials ahead of the multi-sport extravaganza.
This comes amid reports that trials could be held for wrestlers to arrive at decision that who will participate in the Olympics.
Nisha obtained the second quota for India at the World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers at Istanbul in May, in the women’s 68 kg category, making it the fifth Paris 2024 quota by an Indian women’s wrestler. Reetika Hooda (76kg) had been added to the quotas during the Asian Qualifiers held in Bishkek last month.
Speaking to ANI on Olympic quotas, Reetika said, “I would like to say that we went for Olympic quotas after taking trials. We want to focus on the Olympics. We would request the federation that trials are not held since it will cause a loss to a player. Very little time is left for Olympics and we want to focus on it. Anything can happen in wrestling. Within a second, you can lose, it is not the right time to take trials.”
Nisha, another wrestler who secured the quota, said that she will have to lose weight again in order to take part in trials, which will increase her chances of injury and put mental pressure on her as well.
“We want to think about the Olympics since there is around two months left. Olympic athletes will be elite. We want to plan well and prepare,” she added.’
India ended their campaign at the World Olympic Wrestling Qualifiers with two Paris Olympics 2024 quotas, gained by wrestlers Aman Sehrawat and Nisha Dahiya in men’s and women’s wrestling, respectively.
Nisha and Aman took the number of quotas by Indian wrestlers to six. This Istanbul meet was the final chance for India to get Paris 2024 quotas for wrestling, as per Olympics.com.
Aman, secured the 57 kg Olympics 2024 quota, marking India’s first quota in the men’s freestyle category for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya, a silver medalist in the 57 kg category in the Tokyo Olympics, also failed to make it to the Indian team for the qualifiers. Deepak Punia, who secured a fifth-place finish in the 2020 Olympics, could not win a quota for his nation.
Nisha obtained the second quota for India at this event in the women’s 68 kg category, making it the fifth Paris 2024 quota by an Indian women’s wrestler.
Antim Panghal (53kg) bagged India’s first quota during the 2023 World Wrestling Championships while Vinesh Phogat (50kg), Anshu Malik (57kg) and Reetika Hooda (76kg) added to the quotas during the Asian Qualifiers held in Bishkek last month.
India, meanwhile, could not secure a quota in Greco-Roman wrestling. Sunil Kumar, who bagged a bronze medal at the Asian Games last year, was knocked out during the repechage round of the men’s 87kg division.