Nisha Dahiya bags 2024 Paris Olympics quota
Nisha Dahiya has won India's fifth quota at the 2024 Paris Olympics. It is the first time in history that five Indian women wrestlers have qualified for the Games.
At the World Olympic Games Qualifier in Turkey on Friday, May 10, Nisha (68 kg) started strong by beating Belarusian teenager Alina Shauchuk 3-0 to secure her spot in the quarterfinals.
With a place in the semifinals on the line, the 25-year-old locked horns with Czech Republic's Adela Hanzlickova, a multiple European Championships medalist. She started strong and took a quick 3-1 lead, and then managed to hold on to win 7-4.
In the semifinals, Nisha, who finished fifth in the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier in Kyrgyzstan last month, took on Alexandra Anghel. She showed composure to beat the Romanian 8-4 and storm into the final, which also confirmed her spot in the Paris Olympics.
Four other Indian women wrestlers have already qualified for the quadrennial event. Antim Panghal (53 kg) obtained an Olympic quota with a bronze-medal finish at the World Championships last year. Vinesh Phogat (50 kg), Anshu Malik (57 kg, and Reetika Hooda (76 kg) clinched their spots at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Kyrgyzstan earlier this year.
Mansi and Sunil Kumar fail to make the cut for 2024 Paris Olympics
Meanwhile, Mansi, who was also in the fray to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics fell at the first hurdle at the World Olympic Games Qualifier in Turkey. She made a quick exit, as Veranika Ivanova needed just 25 seconds to get the better of her in the pre-quarterfinals.
Despite the defeat, Mansi's hopes of qualifying for the Paris Olympics were kept alive through a possible repechage as Veranika made it through to the semifinals. However, Veranika lost to Kriszta Tunde Incze, ending Mansi’s hopes.
Sunil Kumar (87 kg), India's lone hope in the men’s Greco-Roman category, bowed out in the repechage round. The result also meant that India will not have representation in the Greco-Roman category at this year's Olympic Games.