Deepak and Sujeet are stuck in Dubai and might miss the Olympic qualifications
The wrestlers from India, Deepak Punia and Sujeet Kalkal, might miss tomorrow’s Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Sujeet, who defeated Bajrang Punia in the 65kg category, and Deepak, who will compete in the 86kg weight bracket, have been stuck at the Dubai International Airport for the last two days.
The pair got caught up in the storm that has caused flooding and wreckage in the United Arab Emirates, along with coach Kamal Malikov. After training in Dagestan, Russia, the wrestlers were on their way to the match.
On Thursday, they were scheduled to board an aircraft for Bishkek at 10:30 p.m. (IST) on Friday. Nevertheless, there was a two-hour and fifteen-minute delay in the flight. Assume that they board the later flight. By seven in the morning, it will arrive in Bishkek, where they will have to go through immigration. Leaving the airport will take some time. According to a person with knowledge of the situation, it would be touch-and-go to get to the location in time for the weigh-in at 8am.
The Indian Consulate was notified of the issue as soon as Indian authorities, notably the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which approved the funding for the wrestlers’ training under the TOPS program, learned about it. According to a SAI source, “The consulate guys are in touch with both of them and they are likely to take a flight soon.”
Sanjay Singh, president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), expressed optimism about the two wrestlers competing in the competition when he was in Bishkek for the Asian body’s annual general meeting. “They have a ticket, and hopefully they will get here in plenty of time for the weigh-in, which is scheduled for eight in the morning,” Singh said to The Tribune.
The crucial moment for Vinesh
Bishkek: Tomorrow marks the start of the Asia Olympics qualifiers, when two-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat and sixteen other Indian wrestlers will compete for quota spots at the Paris Games.
During the tournament, 36 quotas in 18 weight categories in three disciplines (freestyle, ladies, and Greco-Roman) will be up for grabs. India will be represented in all but one of the weight categories.
Antim Panghal, 19, won bronze in the women’s 53kg division at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, securing India’s quota spot in the division.
The remaining Indian wrestlers, namely Vinesh (50 kg), Reetika Hooda (76 kg), Anshu (57 kg), Mansi (62 kg), and Nisha (68 kg), have to put up their best effort and guarantee their spots.
Aman Sehrawat (57 kg), who secured his spot in the men’s freestyle by outwitting Tokyo Olympics medalist Ravi Dahiya in the national trials, will take center stage.Given that he won a gold medal in the Zagreb Open in January of this year, he also seems to be in terrific shape.
The victors of both semifinals in each Olympic weight class will get a quota for their nations at the Paris Games; there won’t be any gold medal, repechage, or bronze medal matches in the continental qualifiers. PTI
