Tough road ahead for wrestlers Phogat & Co

Vinesh Phogat

Feisty wrestler Vinesh Phogat (50kg) will have to shake off a tumultuous build-up to the Paris Games when she takes mat, aiming for an elusive Olympic medal, while five of her colleagues will also strive to write their own success stories at the biggest stage when the wrestling event begins here on Monday.

Vinesh is easily India's most accomplished woman wrestler, with two World Championships, three CWG and eight Asian Championships medals adorning her cabinet, but her previous two Olympic campaigns have ended in heartbreaks. She had returned from Rio (2016) with just a broken leg, but from Tokyo (2021), she came back with her soul scarred after a crushing defeat ‘by fall' in the quarter-finals. She was accused of misconduct and suspended by the WFI for several alleged transgressions.

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Anshu Malik (women's 57kg) and Aman Sehrawat (men's 57kg) are India's best bet in that scenario, but ambiguity remains on the fitness of the former, who suffered "neck spasm" during training and was advised to take 15 days of rest. She went to Japan for training early this month.

Antim Panghal too has not been tested since the 2023 Asian Games. She had missed the Asian Championship in March this year, owing to a back injury. For the first time, India will have an entry in the heavyweight category at 76kg and it will not be a surprise if Reetika Hooda does well.

Nisha Dahiya's biggest bane is lack of big-stage experience. She has shown progress but perhaps that would not be enough for the grandest stage. Indian wrestlers have not missed a medal since the 2008 Beijing Games and the onus is now on these six to continue the trend.

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