Flop show by India’s Greco Roman wrestlers at Asian Qualifiers

PTI

Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), April 21

India’s Greco Roman wrestlers cut a sorry figure at the Asian Olympic Qualifier here on Sunday as none of them could secure a berth for the Paris Games.

Sunil, competing in 87kg category, was the only Indian who managed to win a bout, while others were eliminated after losing their first rounds.

Sunil beat a tough Japanese rival Soh Sakabe 5-1. The Indian got the opportunity from ‘Par Terre’ position and logged four points with two gut wrench moves.

In his quarterfinal against Uzbekistan’s Jalgasbay Berdimuratov, the Indian saved himself brilliantly after being lifted by his rival from ground position, and even led the bout for some time.

Twice the points awarded to him were taken back after the Uzbek camp successfully challenged the referee’s decisions. Eventually, Sunil lost 2-4 to bow out of the race for qualification.

Ashu’s challenge in the 67kg category lasted less than two minutes. He lost his qualification bout to Uzbekistan’s Abror Atabaev by technical superiority.

The Uzbek held the Indian in a firm grip from just above the waist and pushed him down for a take-down move, and from there it was one-way traffic with Atabaev employing consecutive gut wrench moves to coast to win.

Sumit (60kg), Vikas (77kg), Nitesh (97kg) and Naveen (130kg) also fell in the first round.

The last time Indian Greco Roman wrestler competed in Olympics was in 2016 when Ravinder Khatri and Hardeep Singh featured in the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

So far India have got four quotas for the Paris Games, all earned by women wrestlers.

There is one last chance to win quotas at the World Qualifiers, scheduled to be held in Turkey from May 9.

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