In what’s a surprising improvement in India males’s wrestling, Tokyo medallists Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya will not be in Paris this summer season for the Olympics 2024. Reason: they did not register vital wins within the choice trials held on March 10. Bajrang, who can also be the face of the wrestlers protest, had gained bronze in Tokyo Olympics 2020 whereas Dahiya has clinched a silver of their respective catogories. Bajrang didn’t even flip as much as play the third-fourth place playoffs match and left in his automobile after dropping the lads’s freestyle 65kg semifinal to Rohit Kumar.
The 30-year-old Bajrang didn’t occasion begin properly as he simply managed a win within the opening spherical bout towards Ravindra which was tied at 3-3. Bajrang was declared the winner on standards. If Ravinder had not conceded a warning level within the bout, Punia would have been eradicated within the opening bout itself.
Not to neglect, it was not that Punia got here to the trials unprepared. He had educated in Russia to arrange for these matches, that are being organised by the IOA ad-hoc panel. Notably, Punia had reached out to the Delhi High Court after contending that the suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) had no authority to conduct trials and had gained the case as properly. However, the Olympic medallist didn’t play the playoffs match to resolve third and fourth spot and left the the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre in a rush after being eradicated. As a consequence, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) officers couldn’t acquire a pattern for a dope take a look at from Punia.
Rohit, who beat Bajrang within the semifinals, misplaced to Sujeet Kalakal within the last. Sujeet who will now try to earn qualification within the 65kg for the Paris Games after profitable a spot within the Indian group. Sujeet had misplaced a authorized case towards Punia when he had challenged his direct entry for the Hangzhou Asian Games. Sujeet beat Rohit by technical superiority within the last.
“We have always done well in 65kg and Bajrang won a Olympic medal so it is a big responsibility for me to go and win a quota place for the country,” Sujit mentioned on Sunday. Rohit will now characterize India on the Asian Championships. The winners on the trials will get the chance to compete at Asian and World Olympic Qualifiers to be held in Bishkek from April 19-21 and in Istanbul from May 9-12.
As a results of the loss, Bajrang confronted trolling on social media as he was slammed for giving extra significance to ‘motivated protests’ than concentrate on his wrestling. Check out a number of the reactions from the followers under.
Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya Crash Out of Paris 2024 Olympics Qualification Race by 9-1 .
Aur kar lo Aandolan__ pic.twitter.com/2cWIooQNbm
— The Jaipur Dialogues (@JaipurDialogues) March 10, 2024
Bajrang Punia appears to have centered solely on dharna and never at practice_
He misplaced 1-9 towards a newcomerpic.twitter.com/ex63PYMVbM
— Yash (@Yashfacts28) March 10, 2024
Junior wrestler Rohit Kumar defeats protestor & wrestler Bajrang Punia 9-1 in 65 kg wrestling Olympic qualifiers.
This occurs when u go away ur unique work to take part in motivated protests. pic.twitter.com/iz77X1sR8P
— Frontalforce __ (@FrontalForce) March 10, 2024
India have thus far earned just one quota for the Paris Games by means of Antim Panghal (girls’s 53kg). Other wrestlers to win trials had been — Jaideep (74kg), Deepak Punia (86kg), Deepak Nehra (97kg) and Sumit Malik (125kg).
