Istanbul, May 11 : Nisha Dahiya's remarkable performance at the World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers in Istanbul, Turkey, has earned India a quota spot in the women's freestyle 68kg category for the Paris Olympics 2024. This achievement adds to India's growing tally of Olympic berths in wrestling, with all five Paris 2024 quotas being secured by female wrestlers.
Competing in a highly competitive field, Nisha displayed exceptional skill and determination. She defeated former U-23 World Championships silver medalist Alina Shochuk and top seed Adela Hanzlikova in the earlier rounds. In the semi-finals, Nisha faced off against Alexandra Engel of Romania, a formidable opponent who had previously won bronze at the World Championships and was a European champion. Despite the pressure, Nisha emerged victorious with a score of 8-4, securing the Olympic quota for India.
This milestone achievement underscores India's growing prowess in women's wrestling. The Paris 2024 wrestling quotas have been a significant focus for India, with Ultimate Panghal securing the first quota at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships, followed by Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, and Ritika Hooda earning quotas at the Asian Qualifiers in Bishkek last month.
While Nisha's success has been a highlight, India's hopes in Greco-Roman wrestling were dashed when Sunil Kumar lost in the repechage of the men's 87 kg category. Despite his efforts, Sunil fell short of securing a quota spot for India in Greco-Roman wrestling.
As India looks ahead to the Paris Olympics 2024, the nation celebrates Nisha Dahiya's achievement while eagerly anticipating the performance of the six Indian men's freestyle wrestlers set to compete for Olympic quotas on Saturday.
