New Delhi: Indian wrestlers are set to embark on a new journey at the Asian Championships in Amman, commencing on Tuesday. Following a period of absence from two international ranking series this year due to an administrative crisis, the Wrestling Federation of India has regained its recognition from the Sports Ministry, and the wrestling team has been selected through trials.

Over the past three years, the absence of national camps and the limited number of domestic competitions have adversely affected the training and preparation of the wrestlers. Nevertheless, India's ability to secure a medal at the Paris Olympics underscores the strength of Indian wrestling.

The 30-member Indian contingent for the Asian Championships will showcase the future of Indian wrestling, featuring several young talents eager to prove themselves on a larger stage.

The tournament will also witness the return of prominent athletes, including Paris Olympians Antim Panghal and Reetika Hooda, along with the experienced Deepak Punia.

World Championship medallist Antim experienced a disappointing performance in Paris, both on and off the mat. She struggled to compete against Turkey’s Yegil Zeynep in her opening match, and her coach was embroiled in an unnecessary controversy.

Since then, she has been training away from the public eye and performed well in the selection trials, securing her place in the Asian Championship at 53kg.

Reetika, the U23 Worlds gold medallist, faced a narrow defeat against top seed Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan in Paris. At the 2023 Asian Championships, she earned a bronze in the 72kg category, but she will now compete in her usual 76kg weight class.

In the 50kg category, the skilled Ankush, who earned a silver medal at the U23 World Championships, has made a strong impression during the selection trials. Joining him on the team are U23 world medallist Neha Sharma (57kg) and U17 world champion Mansi Lather (68kg), both of whom are new additions.

"This is a youthful team that also includes seasoned wrestlers like Antim and Reetika," stated Virender Dahiya, the women's chief coach. "This tournament will provide valuable insights into the current standing of our wrestlers, especially since there have been no international competitions or training camps. The positive aspect is that wrestling is back on track, and following this event, we will outline our competition schedule leading up to the world championships in September," he added.

In men's freestyle, U23 world champion Chirag Chikkara will be under close observation as he competes in India's most competitive weight class—57kg.

India has claimed four of the last five Asian titles, largely due to the performances of Tokyo silver medallist Ravi Dahiya and Paris bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat.

Both athletes have yet to commence their season, and in their absence, the rising star Chirag is expected to perform well.

Sujeet Kalkal, who narrowly missed securing an Olympic quota in the 65kg category, is another wrestler from whom India has high expectations. Jaideep (74kg) and Mukul Dahiya (79kg) will compete in the Olympic weight divisions, while Deepak Punia has transitioned to the non-Olympic 92kg class, a move he has made previously since the Tokyo Games.

In other news, WFI president Sanjay Kumar Singh has been elected as a Bureau Member of United World Wrestling (UWW)-Asia. This election occurred during the UWW-Asia General Assembly held in Amman on Monday, where Singh received 22 out of 38 votes.

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