Xtra Time Web Desk: With just nine days to go for the start of Tokyo Olympics, athletes all over the world are converging in the Japanese capital. Like every Olympics, this time also there will huge expectation from Indian fans to see the country’s sportspersons winning laurels for the country. A total of 126 athletes across 18 sporting categories will be part of India’s Olympic contingent for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics slated to begin from July 23. The total size of the contingent including the coaches, support staff and officials, counts to 227, which is the biggest in recent times.
Among the 18 categories Indian athletes will be participating at Tokyo Games, wrestling, shooting, badminton, hockey, table tennis, archery, boxing, athletics and weight lifting are a few disciplines where there is a huge chance of winning medals. Xtra Time will analyze the various disciplines in which the country has a good chance of winning a medal. Let’s take a look at the Indian wrestling team and their chances at Tokyo.
The Indian wrestlers have been on a high after a series of impressive performances in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympics. India will field seven wrestlers with three time world medal winner Bajrang Punia and 2021 Asian champion Vinesh Phogat leading the charge. Youngsters like Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia can also spring up a surprise.
Indian squad: Bajrang Punia (65kg), Vinesh Phogat (53kg), Ravi Dahiya (57kg), Deepak Punia (86kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), Sonam Malik (62kg) and Seema Bisla (50kg)
Past performances in Olympics: Among the two medals that India won at the Rio Olympics, one came from wrestling. Sakshi Malik won a bronze in 58 kg category. India’s best show in wrestling was in London Olympics where they won two medals – on silver and one bronze. Sushil Kumar won silver in 66kg category while Yogeshwar Dutt won bronze in 60kg. Sushil also won a bronze in 2008 Beijing Olympics.
BAJRANG PUNIA (65kg): Currently ranked second in the 65 kg category, Bajrang Punia is definitely India’s biggest hopes at Tokyo. The three time World medalist and seven-time Asian medalist will be looking to have an Olympics medal under his belt. The Haryana grappler has stood on podium in each of his last 10 international tournaments, winning six gold medals, three silvers and one bronze. He is competing in one of the most competitive weight categories that have at least 6-8 wrestlers, who are all medal contenders. The biggest threat will come from Takuto Otoguro (JPN), Gadzhimurad Rashidov (RUS), Tulga Tumur Ochir (MGL), Iszmail Muszukajev (HUN).
VINESH PHOGAT (53kg): The 2019 World bronze winner and 2021 Asian champion will definitely be one of the favorites to win a medal. She will have the biggest threat from Mayu Mulaida of Japan. The change in weight category has worked well for her as she now has more strength in her muscles. She is a tactically superior wrestler, has immense power that gives her an edge over her opponents. However her only area of concern is she concedes points on counter attack.
RAVI DAHIYA (57KG): Another bright prospect, Ravi Dahiya’s biggest strength is to launch relentless attacks. The 2019 World bronze medal, Double Asian champion will have tough fight from Zavur Uguev (RUS), Suleyman Atli (TUR) and Yuki Takahashi (JPN). A product of Chhatarsal stadium, Ravi is a slow starter but begins to dominate the contest as the clock ticks away. He possesses immense strength, stamina and is technically sound. However, he can”t afford to leave too much work for the second period as it happened at the Poland Open, where he conceded a 0-8 lead in the final and ran out of time to make up.
DEEPAK PUNIA (86KG): The 2019 World silver medal winner and 2020 Asian bronze medalist is going into Tokyo Olympics after a long injury lay off. He has not competed since the 2020 World Cup and was nursing a left hand injury before the Poland Open from which he withdrew. Lack of exposure at the senior level means there is unpredictability around him but at the same time, it could work against him. He will face serious challenge from Hasan Yazda, David Morris Taylor (USA) and Artur Naifonov (RUS).
With Inputs from PTI