New Delhi, March 15 World Championships medallist Antim Panghal has booked her place in the Indian team for the upcoming Asian Wrestling Championships, clinching victory in the 53 kg women’s freestyle trials at the Indira Gandhi Stadium on Saturday. The trials, which featured some of the country's top wrestlers, served as the selection process for the first major wrestling event of the year.
The Asian Wrestling Championships are set to take place in Amman, Jordan, later this month, and Antim will be making her return to the continental stage after missing the previous edition due to injury.
Competing in her first event of the year, she had a relatively smooth path to qualification, with only three wrestlers in her category. She won both her round-robin matches comfortably, sealing her spot on the Indian team.
Antim, who won silver in her previous Asian Championships appearance, is now looking to upgrade her medal colour in Amman. Since then, she has achieved significant milestones, including winning a World Championships medal (bronze) in 2023 and representing India at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she lost in the pre-quarterfinals round. With her return, she is determined to make a strong statement on the international stage. In the 2022 World Championships in Belgrade, retired wrestler Vinesh Phogat won a bronze medal in this weight category.
Meanwhile, another World Championships medallist, Deepak Punia, made headlines by returning to the wrestling mat after a long break and opting for a shift to the non-Olympic weight class of 92 kg. Punia began his campaign with a dominant victory and followed it up with a technical superiority win against Aryan in the second round, showcasing his prowess in the new category.
Elsewhere, India’s Paris 2024 Olympic medallist, Aman Sehrawat, had to withdraw from the trials due to injury, making him unavailable for selection in the upcoming championships. However, other top Indian wrestlers, including Sujeet Kalkal (65 kg FS), Jaideep (74 kg FS), Udit (61 kg FS), and Reetika (76 kg WW), remain in contention for their spots on the national squad.
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