CHENNAI: The senior women’s national championship, scheduled in Agra on Saturday and Sunday, will hold significance for Tokyo aspirants especially with only one woman wrestler qualifying for the Olympics so far. Vinesh Phogat had secured an Olympic quota with her bronze at the 2019 Worlds, but five weight categories (50, 57, 62, 68 and 76) are still up for grabs with two qualifiers (Asian and world) scheduled in April and May this year.
“Yes, I will be competing in 62kg,” Rio Games bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik told this daily. She will be representing Railways in the competition and expected to face a tough challenge from young Sonam Malik, who had the better of the veteran in the recent past. “The national championship is a good way to analyse my preparations for the Olympic trials. The preparations have been good so far. I don’t know when the selection trials for the Olympic qualifiers will happen, but I don’t want to leave any stone unturned,” said the 28-year-old Sakshi.
Sakshi represented India at the 65kg in the Individual World Cup held in Serbia in December as Sonam competed in her preferred weight category (62kg). Both lost their respective first bouts to bow out of the tournament leaving the weight category open for selection for the qualifiers. The path to qualifiers will be tougher for another veteran wrestler, Pooja Dhanda. Her main competitor in the 57kg, Anshu Malik, proved her mettle by becoming the country’s only medallist (silver) in the event in Serbia.
In her bid to keep herself fit for the qualifiers, the 2018 Worlds bronze-medallist has decided to skip the nationals. “I have to lose weight to compete in 57kg. It will lead to loss of stamina and strength. That’s why I have decided to skip the nationals. I will now compete in trials for the qualifiers,” said the 27-year-old Pooja. About 240 women wrestlers from different regions of the country will participate in this nationals. Competitions will be held in the 50kg, 55kg, 57kg, 62kg and 72kg on Day 1 while the second day will witness bouts in 53kg, 59kg, 65kg, 68kg and 76kg.
Instructions to organisers
The Wrestling Federation of India has instructed Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Association to ensure Covid-19 protocols are not violated like the men’s event held in Noida last week. “Fans will be allowed but in limited numbers. We have asked the hosts to make sure the Covid guidelines are adhered to,” said Vinod Tomar, WFI assistant secretary.