Paris 2024 wrestling: Antim Panghal’s Olympic debut ends in first round

By Ali Asgar Nalwala
2 min|
Zeynep Yetgil (red) and Antim Panghal (blue).
Picture by Getty Images

Antim Panghal’s much-awaited Olympic debut at Paris 2024 ended with a first-round defeat in the women’s 53kg wrestling event at the Champ-de-Mars Arena on Wednesday.

Antim, a two-time junior world champion and a senior World Championships bronze medallist, lost 10-0 to Turkiye’s Zeynep Yetgil, a two-time European Championships bronze winner.

Seeded fourth, the Indian wrestler began her bout cautiously with Zeynep Yetgil being the aggressor. The unseeded Turkish grappler executed a takedown for two points and then flipped Antim again to go 4-0 up in the opening minute.

Yetgil then scored six points in the next few seconds to wrap up the bout 10-0 on technical superiority inside 90 seconds.

With Yetgil pinned by Germany’s Annika Wendle in the next round, Antim’s chance to secure a bronze medal via repechage was also ended.

Antim Panghal obtained a Paris 2024 Olympic quota for India in the women's 53kg with a bronze medal at the World Championships last year. She eventually replaced veteran Vinesh Phogat to become India’s top wrestler in the weight division.

Antim also defended her U-20 world crown last year and clinched a bronze medal at the Asian Games 2023 in October.

A total of six wrestlers made it to India’s squad for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Nisha Dahiya was eliminated in the quarter-finals of women’s 68kg on Monday. Vinesh Phogat made it to the final in the women’s 50kg division on Tuesday but was disqualified after she failed the weigh-in on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Aman Sehrawat, India’s only wrestler to compete in the men’s freestyle at Paris 2024, will feature in the 57kg division while Anshu Malik will start her campaign in the women’s 57kg category. Reetika Hooda, competing in the women’s 76kg, will be in action on Saturday.