The average age of the national women’s team bound for next month’s Zagreb World Championships is 20 years
A new crop of Indian women freestyle wrestlers is all set to make an impression at the next month’s World Championships in Croatian City of Zagreb.
The average age of the national team is 20 years, which augurs well for the future of Indian wrestling. India is looking to build a team for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Barring Antim Panghal, other nine members of the Indian team will make their debut at the senior World Championships scheduled to be held from September 13 to 21 in Zagreb, says national coach Virender Dahiya.
“World Championships in Zagreb will be a good platform for young Indian female wrestlers to experience the global atmosphere,” the national coach added.
New crop of wrestlers
The national selection trials for the Worlds were held here at New Delhi’s IG Indoor Stadium on Sunday. Majority of the selected wrestlers in the women’s team are in the age group of 18-20 years.
“The young girls are learning and raring to go,” the national wrestling coach adds. “It will take at least two-three years for the new crop of female wrestlers to excel at the global level but we will be ready by 2028 Olympics.”
Antim Panghal, winner of bronze at 2023 World Championships, didn’t break sweat to cement her place in the team for the Zagreb Worlds.
Antim, 20, will be looking ahead to improve the colour of the medal in Zagreb. Antim is the lone Indian wrestler from the women’s Paris Olympics team of five who will be part of the worlds.
Nisha Dahiya was looking to make a comeback on Sunday but lost her very first bout in trials. Anshu Malik had lost the trials earlier this year. Reetika Hooda tested positive for a banned substance and could face ban upto four years for doping.
Paris Olympic Games
India’s best woman wrestler at Paris Olympics, the feisty Vinesh Phogat, is busy with her motherly duties. Antim has been the most consistent wrestler in major competition is last couple of seasons and would be looking to making a big mark this time.
“I am in good form. I have won two international ranking series events. I am hoping to change the colour of my medal at worlds. I am putting a lot of hard work in training,” said Antim.
In other weight classes, there are at least two to three wrestlers of the same level and it will take some time to establish themselves at world level.
There was lack of depth in the preliminary rounds in national selection trials here on Sunday but finals were quite competitive and decided on thin margins.
The wrestlers in the lower weight were given one kilogram of grace while in the upper weight it was two kilograms.
Women team for World Championships in Zagreb.
Ankush (50kg), Antim Panghal (53kg), Nishu (55kg), Tapasya (57kg), Neha Sangwan (59kg), Manisha (62kg), Vaishnavi Patil (65kg), Radhika (68kg), Jyoti Berwal (72kg), Priya Malik (76kg).
