As the Paris 2024 Olympics wrestling competition kicks off from August 5 to 11 at the Champ de Mars Arena. India is gearing up with six wrestlers vying for glory. This edition marks the 21st time Indian wrestlers are competing at the Olympics, following a notable performance at Tokyo 2020 where Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Bajrang Punia won silver and bronze, respectively. Neither Dahiya nor Punia has qualified for Paris.
The spotlight is on Vinesh Phogat, a two time Olympian, who will be competing in the women’s 50kg category. Phogat, a prominent figure in Indian wrestling, has previously competed in the 48kg category at Rio 2016 and the 53kg at Tokyo 2020.
Antim Panghal, a rising star and bronze medalist at the Asian Games last year. Will make her Olympic debut in the women’s 53kg event. Panghal has established herself as a top competitor, secure her Olympic spot with a bronze medal at the World Championships.
Other Indian wrestlers include Anshu Malik (women’s 57kg), Reetika Hooda (women’s 76kg), and Nisha Dahiya (women’s 68kg), all making their Olympic debuts. Aman Sehrawat, the sole Indian male freestyle wrestler, will compete in the men’s 57kg category.
Unfortunately, no Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers have qualified for this year’s Games.
Historical Context
India has a rich history in Olympic wrestling, with seven medals to date: two silver and five bronze. Notable achievements include KD Jadhav’s bronze in Helsinki 1952, Sushil Kumar’s silver in London-2012, and Sakshi Malik’s bronze in Rio-2016.
Paris 2024 Olympics: Indian Wrestlers Schedule
| Date | Event | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|
| August 5, Monday | Women’s freestyle 68kg 1/8 final | 6:30 PM |
| August 5, Monday | Women’s freestyle 68kg 1/4 final | 7:50 PM |
| August 5, Monday | Women’s freestyle 68kg semi-final | 1:10 AM (Aug 6) |
| August 6, Tuesday | Women’s freestyle 68kg repechage | 2:30 PM |
| August 6, Tuesday | Women’s freestyle 50kg 1/8 final | 3:00 PM |
| August 6, Tuesday | Women’s freestyle 50kg 1/4 final | 4:20 PM |
| August 6, Tuesday | Women’s freestyle 50kg semi-final | 10:25 PM |
| August 7, Wednesday | Women’s freestyle 68kg bronze medal match | 12:20 AM (Aug 8) |
| August 7, Wednesday | Women’s freestyle 68kg final | 12:45 AM (Aug 8) |
| August 7, Wednesday | Women’s freestyle 50kg repechage | 2:30 PM |
| August 7, Wednesday | Women’s freestyle 53kg 1/8 final | 3:00 PM |
| August 7, Wednesday | Women’s freestyle 53kg 1/4 final | 4:20 PM |
| August 7, Wednesday | Women’s freestyle 53kg semi-final | 10:25 PM |
| August 8, Thursday | Women’s freestyle 50kg bronze medal match | 12:20 AM (Aug 9) |
| August 8, Thursday | Women’s freestyle 50kg final | 12:45 AM (Aug 9) |
| August 8, Thursday | Women’s freestyle 53kg repechage | 2:30 PM |
| August 8, Thursday | Men’s freestyle 57kg 1/8 final | 3:00 PM |
| August 8, Thursday | Women’s freestyle 57kg 1/8 final | 3:00 PM |
| August 8, Thursday | Men’s freestyle 57kg 1/4 final | 4:20 PM |
| August 8, Thursday | Women’s freestyle 57kg 1/4 final | 4:20 PM |
| August 8, Thursday | Men’s freestyle 57kg semi-final | 9:45 PM |
| August 8, Thursday | Women’s freestyle 57kg semi-final | 10:25 PM |
| August 9, Friday | Women’s freestyle 53kg bronze medal match | 12:20 AM (Aug 10) |
| August 9, Friday | Women’s freestyle 53kg final | 12:45 AM (Aug 10) |
| August 9, Friday | Men’s freestyle 57kg repechage | 2:30 PM |
| August 9, Friday | Women’s freestyle 57kg repechage | 2:30 PM |
| August 9, Friday | Men’s freestyle 57kg bronze medal match | 11:00 PM |
| August 9, Friday | Men’s freestyle 57kg final | 11:25 PM |
| August 10, Saturday | Women’s freestyle 57kg bronze medal match | 12:20 AM (Aug 11) |
| August 10, Saturday | Women’s freestyle 57kg final | 12:45 AM (Aug 11) |
| August 10, Saturday | Women’s freestyle 76kg 1/8 final | 3:00 PM |
| August 10, Saturday | Women’s freestyle 76kg 1/4 final | 4:20 PM |
| August 10, Saturday | Women’s freestyle 76kg semi-final | 10:25 PM |
| August 11, Sunday | Women’s freestyle 76kg repechage | 2:30 PM |
| August 11, Sunday | Women’s freestyle 76kg bronze medal match | 4:50 PM |
| August 11, Sunday | Women’s freestyle 76kg final | 5:15 PM |
Where to Watch
In India, live streaming of the Paris 2024 Olympics wrestling events will be available on Jio Cinema. While the live telecast will be on the Sports 18 Network TV channels.
As the Indian wrestling contingent takes the stage, fans will be eagerly watching to see if these athletes can add to India’s illustrious wrestling legacy. Furthermore, with each match, the anticipation builds, and the pressure mounts, making the journey even more thrilling. Consequently, every bout holds the potential for history to be made, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.
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