Kumar hopes for Gilman showdown at Worlds

Wednesday, May 18, 2022 - 07:15 By Vinay Siwach

NEW DELHI, India (May 17) -- Ravi KUMAR (IND) stepped on the mat after a week's gap having twisted his foot during one of the practice sessions. Yet, he had little trouble winning his two bouts to make the Indian team for the August's Commonwealth Games.

Wrestling for the first time since his third consecutive gold at Asian Championships in April, Kumar got a wake-up call against junior world medalist Vijay PATIL (IND) after trailing 3-1 at the start. But as the match progressed, Kumar got into his groove and broke the Maharashtra wrestler and secured the fall.

In the final against two-time cadet world bronze medalist and national champion Aman SEHRAWAT (IND), Kumar won via technical superiority despite the bout being disrupted by a commotion after the 125kg final.

The Tokyo silver medalist has never won a medal at the Commonwealth Games, a tournament India dominates in freestyle. But Kumar is more focused on a tournament a month after the Birmingham Games -- World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

"I know I can win a medal at the Commonwealth Games," Kumar said. "But World Championships is a bigger tournament and I want to win there."

Ravi KUMAR (IND) won his first bout via fall against Vijay PATIL (IND). (Photo: UWW / Vinay Siwach)

Kumar is not new to World Championships. He has wrestled at the mega event only once and finished with a bronze medal. His only loss came against eventual champion Zavur UGUEV (RWF) who also won the Olympic gold after beating Kumar in the final.

With ambitions of winning a gold medal in Belgrade, Kumar will probably have to go through defending world champion Thomas GILMAN (USA).

Gilman, who won a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, is already looking forward to wrestling Kumar. After winning his first Pan-Am title last week, Gilman said that Kumar is one wrestler he would like to wrestle with as both have a similar style which will entertain the fans.

Kumar echoes a similar thought and hopes that the fight can happen in Belgrade in September.

"It will be a good bout," Kumar said. "I also want to wrestle him and hope that it happens in Belgrade because I really want to be a world champion."

Initially, Kumar had decided to go for 61kg at the competition apart from the Games this year. But with September's Asian Games postponed, Kumar is happy to go down to 57kg and become India's only second world champion.

"I will go down to 57kg for World Championships," he said. "There are just two years left for the Olympics so it's good to remain at that weight and keep wrestling there."

In the run-up to the Worlds, Kumar is expected to compete at two Ranking Series events and the Commonwealth Games. He has also planned two training camps after the Games.

"I can't go into the no practice zone after the CWG," he said. "It breaks the rhythm and you take time to return to the mat."

Bajrang PUNIA (IND), red, will be eyeing his third Commonwealth Games medal in Birmingham. (Photo: UWW / Vinay Siwach)

Punias make team

Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and Deepak PUNIA (IND), who won silver medals at the Asian Championships in Mongolia, also made it to the Commonwealth Games team after winning the selection trials at 65kg and 86kg respectively.

The 65kg Olympic bronze medalist barely scraped past Vishal KALLIRAMAN (IND) in the 65kg final. He was sitting in the semifinal as others battled to wrestle him in the last four.

Sujeet emerged as his opponent from the upper side of the bracket and got the crowd excited with a few attacks. But Punia defended most of them including one in the dying moments of the bout.

"The wrestlers are sweating so much it's difficult to grip," Punia said referring to the sweltering heat in the capital and the air-conditioning malfunction in the stadium. "The moment I attacked, I would lose the hold. But it's the same for everyone."

Punia has been struggling to get training partners in the country with other wrestlers either training at their own centers or not being part of the camp. This has forced Punia to return to Chhatarsaal stadium, a center which he had left in 2014 after a fallout with fellow wrestlers. He now trains there three times a week.

Incidentally, four out of the six wrestlers selected for the Games train at the Chhatarsaal stadium in Delhi.

Deepak PUNIA (IND) will wrestle at 86kg at the Commonwealth Games. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

At 86kg, Sanjeet reached the final against Punia but could not break through the defense of the world silver medalist who now has a chance to win his first Commonwealth Games medal.

But it won't be easy for him as defending champion Muhammad INAM (PAK) has already announced his intentions of winning back-to-back gold medals.

Naveen NAVEEN (IND), right, is a 70kg bronze medalist at the Asian Championships. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

At 74kg, NAVEEN (IND) emerged as a surprise winner after he posted three back-to-back big wins at the trails. The Asian Championships bronze medalist at 70kg first got the better of Asian silver medalist JITENDER (IND), defeated cadet world champion Sagar JAGLAN (IND) in the semifinal before stunning 79kg Asian silver medalist Gourav BALIYAN (IND) 12-2 in the final.

"I was very confident today," Naveen said. "Once you get your first attack going, you realize how the other wrestler is defending and as the match goes on, you know they are getting tired.

"In the final, after I got four points, I realized Baliyan cannot keep up with me. They are cutting weight while for me it is easier to gain weight and wrestle."

Grewal Mohit GREWAL (IND) won the trials at 125kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Mohit GREWAL (IND) clinched the spot at 125kg after beating veteran wrestler SATENDER MALIK (IND) in a tense final which saw a long challenge review before a brawl at the end of the bout.

Malik was leading 3-0 with 30 seconds on the clock when Grewal got a single leg attack but was unable to finish it. However, Malik lost balance and fell which gave Grewal two points before he scored another with a stepout. The mat chairman did not score the two points.

Grewal challenged the call and lost before the review for the previous was checked again which made it clear that a takedown was completed. Malik was unhappy with the decision claiming that Grewal had no control during the takedown.

Deepak DEEPAK (IND) defeated Satywart KADIAN (IND) in the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Vinay Siwach)

India saw the rise of new stars at 97kg after the domination of Satywart KADIAN (IND) and Mousam KHATRI (IND) for more than a decade. '21 junior world bronze medalist DEEPAK (IND) defeated Kadian in the semifinal while Sahil SEHRAWAT (IND) defeated Khatri in the other semifinal. Deepak humbled Kadian with a 5-2 win thanks to two takedowns while Sehrawat beat Khatri 10-0 using four gut wrenches.

But the final was a little anti-climatic as Deepak went past Sehrawat 10-0 with ease to make the Commonwealth Games team.

The team is scheduled to take part in the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Ranking Series event next month but the wrestlers can skip it as well. The wrestlers for non-Olympic weight classes for the ranking series will be selected by the Wrestling Federation of India.

#wrestlebishkek

Vinesh makes successful drop to 50kg, earns shot at 3rd Olympics

Saturday, April 20, 2024 - 17:33 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 20) -- Two-time Olympian VINESH (IND) took the best remaining path available to her to the Paris Olympics and did her best impression of the storming of the Bastille.

Vinesh dropped down to 50kg for the first time since 2018 and rolled to three consecutive technical falls, the last over Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ), to secure one of India's three tickets to Paris in women's wrestling at the Asian Olympic Qualifier on Saturday in Bishkek.

"It was difficult," said Vinesh, a two-time world bronze medalist at 53kg who will be looking to make up for past disappointments at the 2016 Rio and 2021 Tokyo Olympics. "But when you win, everything becomes worth it. I will say that I will be at peace for four to five days, but my main target is the Olympics. I will try to do what I couldn’t do in the last two Olympics. I can do better at this Olympics."

It was also a good night for China and the DPR Korea, which secured three Paris berths each, as well as Uzbekistan, which earned the first-ever Olympic quota in women's wrestling in its history. Host Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia captured one each as the teams did not have to contend with the powerful Japanese, who had already gained spots in all six weight classes.

"Competition is competition," the 29-year-old Vinesh said. "It is not that only if China and Japan are competing alongside you that it becomes a competition. Everyone becomes strong on the mat."

Combined with the quotas won at the World Championships last year in Belgrade, China and India have four each, and Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and DPR Korea have three apiece.

Two medalists from Tokyo, 53kg silver medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN) and 68kg bronze medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), were among the victors, as those who came up short will have a final chance at the World Olympic Qualifier in Istanbul on May 9-12.

Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) VINESH (IND) controls Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ) in their 53kg Paris Olympic qualification bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Vinesh, long one of the top wrestlers in the world at 53kg, put principles ahead of personal gain when she skipped the Indian trials for last year's World Championships to join in protests against the nation's wrestling federation, which had been suspended by the UWW (since lifted) for failing to address harassment allegations against a top official.

In her place, ANTIM (IND) won the bronze medal at 53kg to earn one of the five Paris quotas in the weight class. For Vinesh to ensure a trip to a third Olympics, she needed to either go up to 57kg or drop to 50kg. She briefly considered the former before opting for the latter. In her last appearance at 50kg, she won the 2018 Asian Games gold, then made the jump up to 53kg.

"I did the weight switch because I didn’t have any option, not out of happiness," said Vinesh, who underwent surgery last August on her left knee. "But I won a quota for my country in the 50kg category. I am happy that I can go to the Olympics. Whether I go in the 50kg category or in the 53kg category, that will be decided in the trials but whatever it is, I won a quota for my country."

Her accomplishments are remarkable and put her among the greats in the sport -- in addition to world bronzes from 2019 and 2022, she has seven Asian medals, including a gold from 2021. All that is missing is a medal from the Olympics, where she has experienced much pain, both physical and emotional.

In 2016, she left the mat in Rio on a stretcher after suffering a broken knee in the quarterfinals against Sun YANAN (CHN). At Tokyo, she was ranked No. 1 but was ousted in the quarterfinals by Vanessa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN). "My body is not broken, but truly I am," she told the Indian Express of her mental fatigue.

Vinesh competed sparingly after that, winning the gold at the Commonwealth Games and bronze at the World Championships in 2022.

"It’s taken so much hard work and struggle," Vinesh said. "I have been away from the mat for 1 1/2 years. I have come back after an operation. Many people have suggested that I should not go in the 50kg category because I could get re-injured.

"But I did not have any option. It was a do-or-die situation. I chose the die option."

On Sunday, she looked like she had never been away from the mat. Against Ganikyzy, who was making her senior international debut, Vinesh opened the scoring with a 2-point counter lift while on the activity clock, then added a double-leg takedown for a 4-0 lead at the break.

In the second period, Vinesh spun behind on a takedown attempt, then reeled off a pair of gut wrenches to end the match at 4:18.

Looking ahead to Paris, Vinesh knows what she needs to do to be prepared and avoid the pitfalls of the previous Olympics.

"Firstly, I will have to manage my weight a lot better," she said. "I have brought myself down to 50kg after so long so I will try and maintain this as much as I can. It’s not easy for me not to put on weight because my muscle mass is very high. Because of that, I gain weight easily. It doesn’t matter how fit I am, I still gain weight because I have a lot of muscle mass. I just want to control my weight. I have four months left, and every day is very important.

"I just want to try my best. It's been 20 years since I've been wrestling. I just want an Olympic medal. Everyone is working for that."

Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) celebrates after making history by becoming the first woman from Uzbekistan to clinch a spot in the Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Historic win for Uzbekistan

In the preceding 50kg bout, Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) made history by becoming the first woman from Uzbekistan to clinch a spot in the Olympics when she hung on desperately for a 4-2 victory over Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE). Keunimjaeva said she knew she was on the precipice of history going into the match.

"I knew that and I tried hard to achieve it," she said. "We’ve been training hard for three years now, we never had an Olympic spot and we wanted it so much. We worked so hard together with the coaches, together with the whole wrestling federation of Uzbekistan."

Keunimjaeva took a 3-0 lead with a single-leg takedown while Hsieh was on the activity clock. But her late shot for another was countered, and Hsieh slipped behind for 2 with five seconds left in the first period.

Keunimjaeva, who took a timeout for treatment on her knee, kept shooting in the second period, and although she could not finish one off, she ate away at the clock. In the final seconds, Keumjaeva clung onto Hsieh's toes for dear life to keep her from getting behind on a counter.

A challenge was unsuccessful, and Keunimjaeva reversed their meeting at the 2021 Asian Olympic Qualifier at 53kg which was won 16-8 by Hsieh, although neither wrestler ended up qualifying.

Like Vinesh, Keunimjaeva had moved down from 53kg and found success at the lower weight.

"I used to wrestle at 53kg," she said. "However, I wanted to compete at this Olympics so much, so I went down to 50kg. I know that this weight class is very competitive. There are many good wrestlers: the world and Olympic champion from Japan, there is a very strong Mongolian wrestler, also a Chinese one. I think they are the toughest opponents."

Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) and Qianyu PANG (CHN) qualified the DPR Korea and China for the Paris Olympics at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The DPR Korea will be back in the Olympics for the first time since 2016, having opted not to participate in the qualifying for the Tokyo Games. The country returned to the post-pandemic international stage for the first time in four years at last October's Asian Games in China, and its three victors on Saturday had all won medals there.

Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) got the ball rolling at 53kg with a 4-0 victory over ageless Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ), an eight-time Asian medalist dating back to 2007 who was attempting to qualify for her third Olympics and first since 2016.

Choe, an Asian Games bronze medalist, gained an activity point in the first period, then scored a stepout in the second period while she was on the clock. She clinched the victory with a single-leg takedown.

In the other bout at 53kg, China's Pang cruised to a 10-0 victory over Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) to deny Uzbekistan a second berth on its historic night.

Pang, the Zagreb Open champion and Asian Games silver medalist, forced her way behind for an opening takedown, then got a 2-point tilt and a pair of gut wrenches for an 8-0 lead. In the second period, Pang eluded a single-leg attempt and spun behind for the clinching takedown.

"I feel like my performance was much better than in previous tournaments," Pang said. "My goal never changed, I still want to be an Olympic champion. I still need to work hard enough. Every step is difficult, and I hope I can improve step by step."

Asked about the 53kg division, topped by current world champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), Pang replied, "They [opponents] are very good, but I think the charm of competitive sports lies in this -- no matter how good they are, you still have a chance to win. I must believe that I can succeed."

Kexin HONG (CHN) pins In Sun JONG (PRK) to win at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Pang's compatriot and fellow Zagreb Open champion Kexin HONG (CHN) followed by securing a Paris ticket at 57kg, but she needed a miracle victory over In Sun JONG (PRK) which also avenged a loss at the Asian Games. Hong managed to not only come back from an eight-point deficit to tie the match, but she secured a fall.

Jong opened the match with a single-leg takedown, then put on a fine display of counter wrestling with back-to-back counter-lifts to make it 6-0, then added another to take an 8-0 lead into the break.

But when Jong shot right off the whistle in the second period, Hong got behind for a takedown and added a lace-lock roll to cut the gap to 8-4. Hong then worked out of a deep single for a takedown, flipped Jong onto her back and secured the fall at 4:36, getting payback for a 4-2 loss to Hong in the Asian Games semifinals.

ANSHU (IND) confirmed a Paris Olympic quota for India at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Tokyo Olympian ANSHU (IND), the 2021 world silver medalist at 57kg, earned a likely trip back to the Olympics with an 11-0 rout of Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB).

The three-time Asian medalist gained an opening takedown and added a pair of gut wrenches for a quick 6-0 lead. After that, she spun behind for a takedown, and just barely gained a 2-point tilt at the edge to end the match. An unsuccessful challenge of the exposure added the final point.

Anshu downplayed the fact that she was in the opposite bracket from Jong and Hong. "It feels great to have qualified for the Olympics," she said. "How the brackets are is not in my hands. My mindset was only that I have to qualify irrespective of who my opponent is. My bouts were good. If the wrestlers from China and the DPR Korea were on my side, I would have gone with the same mindset that I have to qualify."

Anshu prepared for the competition by traveling to Japan, where she trained with Fujinami and the rest of the team at the powerful Nippon Sports Science University.

"I did benefit by training there [with Fujinami at NSSU]," Anshu said. "I worked a lot on the mistakes I was making. There is always a mindset about Japanese wrestlers about how to wrestle them or tackle them. So if you are training with the top wrestlers and legends there and competing well, then you get a lot of confidence for your competitions."

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), right, and Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) after winning the 62kg quotas for Mongolia and the DPR Korea. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 62kg, former world champion Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) proved too much for unheralded Hanbit LEE (KOR), scoring a fall to earn a ticket to the Olympics for the first time since 2016.

Purevdorj, who won her lone Asian gold in Bishkek in 2018, used a single for a takedown, then applied an arm bar and plied her opponent over for the fall in 1:56.

Asian Games champion Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) captured the other 62kg ticket by scraping out a 6-0 victory over 2022 world bronze medalist MANSI (IND).

Mun used a 2-on-1 arm drag for a takedown and a 2-0 first-period lead. In the second period, she got creative in countering a single-leg attempt, spinning over the back and getting behind before clinching the win with a spin-behind takedown.

Mun had advanced to the qualifying match with an impressive win over Tokyo Olympian Jia LONG (CHN), the 2023 Asian gold medalist at 65kg, taking a 4-0 lead before sending Long to her back with a headlock and winning by fall.

At the Asian Games, Mun famously defeated 2022 world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) in the final to establish her credentials after placing fifth at the 2019 Asian Championships.

Both the 68kg and 76kg divisions had just seven entries, meaning the wrestlers were split into round-robin groups and some had to get through three matches before the final.

Sol Gum PAK (PRK) stopped this last-ditch attempt from Feng ZHOU (CHN) to win at 68kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 68kg, Sol Gum PAK (PRK) gave the DPR Korea its third win in four matches with a thrilling 7-4 victory over three-time Asian Games champion and two-time Olympian Feng ZHOU (CHN).

Pak, who needed to beat Zhumanazarova in her final round-robin group match to pip NISHA (IND) for second place, opened with a takedown, but the lanky Zhou came back with a counter lift from a front body lock to lead 2-2 on criteria at the break.

In the second period, Pak went ahead with a single-leg takedown from an underhook. As the clock was ticking down, Zhou secured a front headlock and tried to muscle Pak over. Pak stopped the throw long enough to get a 2-point exposure before Zhou completed the roll, putting Pak up 6-4. An unsuccessful challenge upheld Pak's exposure.

Zhumanazarova, the 2021 world champion who is somewhat overshadowed by the exploits of popular compatriots Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), lived up to the expectations of the home crowd, scoring five quick points late in the final seconds of the first period and easing to a 7-2 win over two-time Asian medalist Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB).

REETIKA (IND) gave India its third Paris 2024 quota with an untroubled 7-0 victory over Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 76kg, world U23 champion REETIKA (IND) gave India its third win of the night with an untroubled 7-0 victory over Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE).

Reetika scored a pair of takedowns by spinning to the side off a front headlock, then added a stepout for a 5-0 lead. She used the same tactic to add another takedown in the second period, then kept Chang at bay to run out the clock in her fourth match of the day.

Asian Games bronze medalist Juan WANG (CHN) became the third Chinese winner with a 6-1 victory over Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), the losing finalist at the Asian Games where both lost to Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ).

Wang went ahead 1-1 on criteria with an activity point in the second period, then put the match away in the final seconds when she got behind Bakbergenova in the standing position, and fell backwards to roll her over her for 4. An unsuccessful challenge added the final point.

Paris 2024 Qualification Matches

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) df. Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE), 4-2
VINESH (IND) df. Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 4:18

53kg
Qianyu PANG (CHN) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:03
Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) df. Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ), 4-0

57kg
Kexin HONG (CHN) df. In Sun JONG (PRK) by Fall, 4:35 (8-6)
ANSHU (IND) df. Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) by TF, 11-0, 2:48

62kg
Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. Hanbit LEE (KOR) by Fall, 1:56 (4-0)
Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) df. MANSI (IND), 6-0

68kg
Sol Gum PAK (PRK) df. Feng ZHOU (CHN), 7-4
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB), 7-2

76kg
REETIKA (IND) df. Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE), 7-0
Juan WANG (CHN) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), 6-1

Kumar hopes for Gilman showdown at Worlds

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Vinesh makes successful drop to 50kg, earns shot at 3rd Olympics