Asian Wrestling Championships: Sarita Mor, Arjun Halakurki and others look to impress

After UWW lifted the suspension on the WFI on February 13, this will be the first occasion when the Indians will be able to compete at an international wrestling event under the Tricolour.

Sarita Mor (Blue) at the 2023 Senior National Wrestling Championship in Jaipur. | Photo Credit: SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP/ The Hindu

A fine mix of young and experienced wrestlers, including World championships bronze medallist Sarita Mor, World junior silver medallist Antim Kundu and Asian bronze medallists Anirudh Kumar and Arjun Halakurki, will be seen in action in the Asian championships starting at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Thursday.

After United World Wrestling (UWW) lifted the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on February 13, this will be the first occasion when the Indians will be able to compete at an international wrestling event under the Tricolour.

Since the main focus is on the Asian Olympic Games qualifier, scheduled immediately after the Asian championships at the same venue, the wrestlers who topped their respective Olympic weight categories in the trials will compete there. The second ranked wrestlers in these weights will fight in the Asian championships.

Still, the Indians, who were deprived of enough international competitions in 2023 due to the chaotic situation in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), will be keen to showcase their talent and earn podium finishes in the continental event.

India had gathered one gold, three silver and 10 bronze medals in the previous edition.

The squad:

Men: Freestyle: Udit (57kg), Akash Dahiya (61kg), Rohit (65kg), Abhimanyou (70kg), Yash Tushir (74kg), Parvinder Singh (79kg), Sandeep Singh (86kg), Vinay (92kg), Vicky (97kg), Anirudh Kumar (125kg).

Greco Roman: Arjun Halakurki (55kg), Pravesh (60kg), Umesh (63kg), Vinayak Patil (67kg), Ankit Gulia (72kg), Sajan (77kg), Rohit Dahiya (82kg), Ajay (87kg), Narinder Cheema (97kg), Mehar Singh (130kg).

Women: Shivanee Pawar (50kg), Anju (53kg), Tamanna (55kg), Sarita Mor (57kg), Pushpa Yadav (59kg), Manisha Bhanwala (62kg), Antim Kundu (65kg), Radhika (68kg), Harshita (72kg), Priya (76kg).