Wrestling World Championships Preview: Young Indian team aims to conquer historic Worlds in Oslo
Oslo is all set to welcome the return of the wrestling world championships after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. 25 newly minted Olympic medalists - including four champions - will take to the mat at the historic world championships.
It will be the first time a wrestling world championship will be held in the same year as the Olympic Games. The Tokyo Games were postponed last due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
India has sent a young squad for the big-ticket competition that will be held from October 2 to 10. None of the Olympians (except Anshu Malik) including medalists Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya have will not feature in the all-weight worlds in Norway.
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However, hopes will be high from a few wrestlers owing to their medal winning performances at the recently held cadet and junior world championships.
Ravinder (61 kg men’s freestyle) will take to the mat on the back of a silver medal at the junior worlds in August. Pruthiviraj Balasaheb Patil (92kg) will also like to continue his medal run from the junior worlds. He bagged a bronze after winning a 2-1 thriller against Russia’s Ivan Kirillov.
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Asian champion Sarita Mor, on the other hand, will lead the young contingent in women's wrestling. She will be one of the medal contenders in 59kg. Eyes will be on Olympian Anshu (57kg), who would like to return to her medal-winning ways, after a disappointment at the Tokyo Olympics. However, the youngster is carrying an elbow injury which could play a spoilsport to her maiden Worlds campaign.
When and where to watch Wrestling World Championships?
Freestyle wrestling kicks off the Wrestling World Championships on October 2. Women’s wrestling takes center stage at the Jordal Amfi Arena on October 4, with Greco-Roman closing out the competition in Norway beginning on October 7.
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The wrestling world championships live streaming will be available on WrestlingTV.in.
India’s Wrestling World Championships squad:
Freestyle: Pankaj (57kg), Ravinder (61kg), Rohit (65kg), Sushil (70kg), Yash (74kg), Gourav Baliyan (79kg), Sandeep Singh (86kg), Pruthviraj Patil (92kg), Satyawart Kadian (97kg), Anirudh (125kg).
Women’s wrestling: Hanny Kumari (50kg), Pooja Jatt (53kg), Pinki (55kg), Anshu (57kg), Sarita (59kg), Sangeeta (62kg), Bhateri (65kg), Ritu Malik (68kg), Divya Kakran (72kg), Kiran (76kg)
Greco Roman: Sandeep (55kg), Gyanender (60kg), Neeraj (63kg), Sajan (77kg), Harpreet Singh (82kg), Sunil Kumar (87kg), Ravi (97kg), Naveen Kumar (130kg)