Wrestling world championships: Vinesh Phogat pulls out, Sakshi Malik loses in trials
Sangeeta Phogat made a winning comeback while Narsingh Yadav lost in the final in their respective categories.
Two-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat, on Tuesday, pulled out of the trials conducted in New Delhi for the world wrestling championships to be held in Oslo, Norway in October.
Vinesh Phogat, a bronze medallist in the last world championships, won 10-5 in the first round of the 55kg trials against Anju but withdrew against Pinki in the second round, saying that she was not feeling well.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) had initiated disciplinary proceedings against Vinesh after her quarter-final loss at the Tokyo Olympics even as the 27-year old, in an emotional outburst, had claimed that she was in poor physical and mental shape during Tokyo 2020.
After Vinesh Phogat apologised to the WFI, the federation overturned her suspension and she was allowed to compete in the trials.
Meanwhile, Rio 2016 bronze medallist Sakshi Malik went down 63 to Manisha in the 62kg trials. Sakshi had been earlier unable to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics as well.
Sangeeta Phogat -- with husband and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Bajrang Punia in her corner -- made a winning comeback after a knee injury as she beat Manisha 9-5 to qualify for the world championships.
Sarita Mor, the 2020 and 2021 Asian championships gold medallist, beat Pooja Dhanda 7-0 in the 59kg trials to also make the cut for the worlds.
Tokyo Olympian Anshu Malik (57kg) and Divya Kakran (72kg) also sealed their places for the world championships from their respective categories.
In the men’s freestyle, Yash Tushir upset former Asian champion Amit Dhankar 9-5 to win the 74kg trial. Yash won the bronze medal at the world junior championships in Russia earlier this month.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Narsingh Yadav was also shocked by Gourav Baliyan by technical superiority (17-6) in the 79kg final. Satyawart Kadian (97kg) made it through to the world championships after he defeated Ashish 6-2 in the finals.
Sonam Malik has been ruled out of the world championships due to an elbow injury. Bajrang Punia (injury), Ravi Kumar Dahiya (lack of practice), Deepak Punia (injury) and Seema Bisla (injury) will also skip the world meet.
Indian team for wrestling world championships 2021
Men’s freestyle
Shubham Kaushik (57kg), Ravinder Dahiya (61kg), Rohit (65kg), Sushil (70kg), Yash Tushir (74kg), Gourav Baliyan (79kg), Sandeep Mann (86kg), Pruthviraj Patil (92kg), Satywart Kadian (97kg), Anirudh Gulia (125kg)
Women’s freestyle
Hanny (50kg), Pooja Jatt (53kg), Pinki (55kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), Sarita Mor (59kg), Sangeeta Phogat (62kg), Bhateri (65kg), Ritu Malik (68kg), Divya Kakran (72kg), Kiran (76kg)
Greco Roman
Sandeep (55kg), Gyanender (60kg), Gaurav Duhan (67kg), Sajan (77kg), Sunil Kumar (87kg), Ravi (97kg), Naveen Kumar (130kg)