Senior national wrestling championships: Geeta Phogat, Rahul Aware amongst top wrestlers to light up Nandi Nagar
The senior national wrestling championships will be a doorway for many high-profile wrestlers to return to the mat. While Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya have decided to give the event a miss, Pooja Dhanda and Rahul Aware will grab the spotlight in Gonda, Nandini Nagar.
The big story at the wrestling nationals, though scheduled to take place from November 11 to 13, will be the return of Geeta Phogat.
Sangeeta Phogat, the youngest of the famed Phogat sisters, made her comeback on the mat at the Oslo wrestling world championships last month. Geeta Phogat will return to competitive action for the first time since giving birth to her son Arjun in 2018.
India’s first woman gold medalist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Geeta Phogat is one of the most-decorated wrestlers in the country.
With eyes on the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 32-year-old will be itching to prove her comeback in 59kg (non-Olympic weight category).
Her biggest challenger in the run-up to the national title would be 2021 world championship bronze medalist Sarita Mor. Mor is also the current wrestling national champion in 59kg.
Former bronze medalist Rahul Aware will also be making a comeback at the wrestling national championships. The 2019 World Championship bronze medal winner has been out of action since the Individual World Cup in Belgrade in late 2020.
The top two from each weight category at the Nationals will secure direct entries for next month's Commonwealth Wrestling Championships in South Africa.
Senior National Wrestling Championships 2021 schedule
Thursday, November 11
Qualification and repechage (Greco Roman: 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 72kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg, 97kg, 130kg; Women’s: 65kg, 76kg) - 9:30 AM IST to 1:00 PM IST
Final (repechage (Greco Roman: 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 72kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg, 97kg, 130kg; Women’s: 65kg, 76kg) - 3:00 PM IST to 6:00 PM IST
Friday, November 12
Qualification and repechage (Women’s: 50kg, 53kg, 55kg, 57kg, 59kg, 62kg, 68kg, 72kg; Men’s freestyle: 61kg, 70kg, 86kg, 97kg) - 9:30 AM IST to 1:00 PM IST
Final (Women’s: 50kg, 53kg, 55kg, 57kg, 59kg, 62kg, 68kg, 72kg; Men’s freestyle: 61kg, 70kg, 86kg, 97kg) - 3:00 PM IST to 6:00 PM IST
Saturday, November 13
Qualification and repechage (Men’s freestyle: 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 79kg, 92kg and 125kg) - 9:30 AM IST to 1:00 PM IST
Final (Men’s freestyle: 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 79kg, 92kg and 125kg) - 3:00 PM IST to 6:00 PM IST