Wrestler Sumit one win away from Olympics qualification

Sofia (Bulgaria), May 6

Sumit Malik was still in contention to qualify for the Tokyo Games but it was all over for Amit Dhankar and Satywart Kadiyan, who were ousted from the World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers after losing at different stages of the competition here today.

In his 125kg qualification bout against Kyrgyzstan’s Aiaal Lazarev, Malik was trailing 1-2 till the last 25 seconds but got a push-out point towards the end and won on criteria, when the scores were tied at 2-2. His next bout was against Moldova’s Alexandr Romanov. He trailed 0-1 after losing a point on passivity. In the second period, he lost another point when he was pushed out by his opponent but as has been his strategy — Malik attacks in the closing stage of the bout — he pulled off a two-point throw to make it even and finally won 3-2.

In the quarterfinal against Tajikistan’s Rustam Iskandari, Malik was in trouble at one stage as he trailed 2-4 after leading 2-0 but logged four two-pointers to win easily. Venezuela’s Jose Daniel Diaz Robertti stands between Malik and his Olympics qualification. The finalists at this competition will qualify for Tokyo Games.

Dhankar lost his 74kg qualification bout 6-9 to Moldova’s Mihail Sava. After trailing 0-4, Dhankar put up a spirited fight in the second period, but the Moldovan was up to the task. Dhankar’s defeat means that India will go unrepresented in the 74kg at the Tokyo Games.

Kadiyan won his pre-quarterfinal 5-2 against Evan Amadour Ramos from Puerto Rico. In the quarterfinal against Bulgaria’s Ahmed Sultanovich Bataev, Kadian blew away a 5-1 lead to go out of the competition as he lost the bout on criteria, conceding four points in the last 20 seconds. — PTI