Senior World Championship trials: Vinesh out, Sangeeta in

All eyes were on Vinesh Phogat, who was suspended by the WFI earlier this month for indiscipline before being let off with a warning, but she looked vulnerable from the beginning.

FILE PHOTO: India's Vinesh Phogat during Tokyo 2020.

Star wrestler Vinesh Phogat met with disappointment, while her cousin Sangeeta Phogat sprung a surprise in the selection trials for the World Wrestling Championships, to be held in Oslo, Norway from October 2 to 10, in Delhi on Tuesday.

Vinesh, who was suspended by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for indiscipline in the Olympics before being allowed to compete in the trials, won her first bout against Anju in the 55kg weight class. However, the ace wrestler, who reportedly had faced some issues in Tokyo, withdrew after feeling unwell.

Sangeeta, wife of Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, made an impressive return to competitive wrestling after three years and surgeries on both her knees. She defeated Manisha, who earlier beat Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, in the final to book her berth in 62kg.

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Olympian Anshu Malik (57kg), Asian champion Sarita Mor (59kg), who beat Worlds medallist Pooja Dhanda, and Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medallist Divya Kakran (72kg) were some prominent names to win the trials.

Four medalists, including Yash Tushir (74kg), Gourav Baliyan (79kg) and Anirudh Kumar (125kg) in men’s freestyle and Bhateri (65kg) in women’s section, from the recently concluded World junior championships made it to the Worlds squad.

Yash got past seasoned Amit Dhankar, while Baliyan beat World championships medallist Narsingh Yadav.

Since there was only one wrestler in 63kg and 82kg of Greco Roman, 92kg of freestyle and 76kg of women’s styles, the selection committee decided to hold the trials in these weight categories next week.

The selected wrestlers: Men: Freestyle: 57kg-Shubham, 61kg-Ravinder, 65kg-Rohit, 70kg-Sushil, 74kg-Yash Tushir, 79kg-Gourav Baliyan, 86kg-Sandeep Mann, 97kg-Satyawart Kadian, 125kg-Anirudh Kumar. Greco Roman: 55kg-Sandeep, 60kg-Gyanender, 67kg-Gaurav Duhan, 77kg-Sajan, 87kg-Sunil Kumar, 97kg-Ravi, 130kg-Naveen Kumar.  Women: 50kg-Hanny Kumari, 53kg-Pooja Jatt, 55kg-Pinki, 57kg-Anshu Malik, 59kg-Sarita Mor, 62kg-Sangeeta Phogat, 65kg-Bhateri, 68kg-Ritu Malik, 72kg-Divya Kakran.