9 Indian women wrestlers left stranded in Jordan after a historic performance at the U17 World Wrestling Championships
After a remarkable show at the U17 World Wrestling Championships, the Indian women’s wrestling team found themselves stranded at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, on Saturday (August 24). The young wrestlers and their coaches missed their flight back to India due to a booking mishap.
"The young women wrestlers have missed the flight. There is a lot of confusion about what actually happened," as reported by PTI from a source from the Indian contingent in Amman for the U17 World Wrestling Championships.
The team, comprising nine wrestlers and three coaches, was split into separate flights. While the coaches were scheduled to fly on an Emirates flight with a stopover in Dubai, the wrestlers were booked on a Qatar Airways flight. This separation created a chaotic situation, as the wrestlers missed their flight, leaving them stranded at the airport.
"Ideally, at least one of the coaches should have accompanied the young wrestlers," another source from the Indian contingent in Amman told PTI.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), which is currently suspended, was quick to respond.
"Arrangements are now being made for the wrestlers’ overnight stay; there is no flight available for Saturday. They will be booked on the first available flight," a WFI official, who chose to remain anonymous, told PTI.
The official added that the WFI typically does not book young wrestlers and coaches on separate flights, adding to the confusion and frustration surrounding the incident.
Indian women's contingent's stellar performance at the U17 World Wrestling Championships
The Indian women’s wrestling team had a historic run at the U17 World Wrestling Championships. They clinched their first-ever team title with an impressive 185 points, outpacing Japan and Kazakhstan, who finished with 146 and 79 points, respectively.
Kajal led the charge by securing a gold medal in the 69kg weight category, dominating her Ukrainian opponent, Oleksandra Rybak, with a 9-2 victory. Her gold was one of the five that the Indian women wrestlers won during the championship.
Alongside Kajal, Aditi Kumari, Neha, Pulkit, and Mansi Lather all clinched gold medals in their respective weight categories in U17 World Wrestling Championships. Aditi’s flawless performance in the 43kg category was particularly notable as she defeated Greece’s Maria Louiza Gkika with a commanding 7-0 victory.
Neha, competing in the 57kg category, displayed her agility and technical prowess, outclassing Japan’s So Tsuitsui in the final. Pulkit faced tough competition in the 65kg category but managed to secure a 6-3 victory over Daria Frolova, a neutral athlete, while Mansi Lather capped off the Indian team’s stellar performance with a gold in the 73kg category.
However, not all matches ended in gold for India. Shrutika Patil had to settle for silver after losing to Japan’s Yuu Katsume in the 46kg category in the U17 World Wrestling Championships. Raj Bala and Muskan added two more medals to India’s tally by securing bronze in the 40kg and 53kg categories, respectively.
On the other hand, India’s male wrestlers in the freestyle category in the U17 World Wrestling Championships could not replicate the success of their female counterparts.
While the men’s team struggled to reach the semifinals, they did manage to secure two bronze medals in the Greco-Roman division. Ronak Dahiya, competing in the 110kg category, and Sainath Pardhi, in the 51kg category, both put up commendable performances to earn their places on the podium.