New Delhi:
Sushil Kumar’s involvement in the murder case was a major blow to the reputation of Indian wrestling. But the rise of Ravi Dahiya in the Olympics and the expected success of Bajrang Poonia at the Tokyo Games prevented Indian wrestling from going to the abyss in the year 2021.
Vinesh Phogat’s dream of winning an Olympic medal did not come true again but this year Indian wrestling also got a new heroine in the form of Anshu Malik who made history by reaching the final of the World Championship.
Indian wrestling legend Sushil was put behind bars in Tihar Jail on charges of murdering his fellow wrestler Sagar Dhankar when he had to prepare for the Tokyo Games. This was a huge blow to Indian wrestling.
The way Indian wrestler Sushil, 38, the only Indian wrestler to win two Olympic medals and a world title, played a game of hide and seek with the police before his arrest revealed the wrong face of Indian wrestling.
When Indian wrestling hero Sushil had to prepare for the Tokyo Games, he was behind bars in Tihar Jail for the murder of his fellow wrestler Sagar Dhankar. This was a huge blow to Indian wrestling. The way Indian wrestler Sushil, 38, the only Indian wrestler to win two Olympic medals and a world title, played a game of hide and seek with the police before his arrest revealed the wrong face of Indian wrestling.
Amidst this despair, a ray of hope was seen at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Bajrang and Vinesh were considered strong contenders for the medal but it was Ravi Dahiya who emerged as a new star in Indian wrestling after making a strong comeback after trailing 2-9 against Nurislam Sanayev of Kazakhstan in the semifinals. He could not repeat his success in the final against Russia’s Javur Uguyev, but the Olympic silver medal made him an overnight star.
In the midst of this despair, a ray of hope was witnessed at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Bajrang and Vinesh were considered strong contenders for the medal but it was Ravi Dahiya who emerged as a new star in Indian wrestling after making a strong comeback after trailing 2-9 against Nurislam Sanayev of Kazakhstan in the semifinals. He could not repeat his success in the final against Russia’s Javur Uguyev, but the Olympic silver medal made him an overnight star.
Bajrang was considered a gold medal contender at the Tokyo Olympics but had to settle for a bronze medal. After winning a bronze medal at the World Championships 2019, he had barely lost in any tournament.
Bajrang was expected to reach the final despite facing a tough challenge in his
65 kg
freestyle weight class. He later revealed that he had injured his knee during a tournament in Russia. Despite missing the gold, winning the bronze medal only increased his reputation.
With two medals in wrestling, India continued the excellent track record of winning medals in this ancient sport at every Olympic Games from the 2008 Beijing Olympics to Tokyo.
Vinesh, a strong contender for a medal in the women’s section, disappointed her fans at the Tokyo Olympics. This was the second time that her dream of winning an Olympic medal did not come true. She lost to Vanessa Kalajinskaya of Belarus.
To add insult to injury, she was also suspended by the national federation for indiscipline during the Olympic Games in Tokyo. She had reportedly refused to practice with her compatriots during the Tokyo Olympics.
Meanwhile, Anshu Malik left her mark. The 20-year-old wrestler from Haryana won the senior Asian title and qualified for the Tokyo Games, but due to lack of experience, she could not do much there. But still, she proved herself and became the first Indian female wrestler to reach the final at the Oslo World Championships.
She tried her best against two-time Olympic medalist Helen Marolis of the United States (US) but eventually had to settle for a silver medal. Sarita also won a bronze medal at the World Championships.
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