Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, and Reetika have all advanced to the semifinals of the Asian Olympic Qualifier in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, putting them one step closer to securing a quota for the Paris Olympics.
Vinesh, competing in the 50kg category, dominated her opponents with ease. She quickly dispatched her Korean rival Miran Cheon in just 1 minute and 39 seconds, followed by a swift victory over Cambodia’s Smanang Dit. Vinesh’s strong hold and gut wrench moves proved too much for her opponents.
Anshu Malik, the 2021 World Championship silver medalist, also had a strong performance. She received a direct entry into the quarterfinals and defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Kalmira Bilimbekova by technical superiority.
U23 world champion Reetika (76kg) showcased her class by outclassing Eunju Hwang of Korea and Davaanasan Enkh Amar of Mongolia. In her final group bout against China’s Juang Wang, Reetika fought back after conceding six straight points to secure a narrow victory.
Mansi Ahlawat (62kg) also advanced to the last-four with a 6-4 win over Kazakhstan’s Irina Kuznetsova.
However, Nisha Dahiya (68kg) was the only Indian wrestler who failed to reach the semifinals. Despite winning her opening bout against Sol Gum Pak of North Korea, she was outclassed by local favorite Meerim Zhumanazarova in round 2. Nisha’s exhaustion from the previous bout proved costly, and she was unable to recover in the must-win round 3.
The finalists at this competition will earn quotas for their respective countries. The last chance to win a Paris Games quota will be at the World Qualifiers in Turkey from May 9.
