World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers: After Tokyo Olympics quota; India’s Seema Bisla wins gold in 50kg finals

Putting up an abject show, India’s Greco Roman wrestlers drew a blank at the World Olympic Qualifiers as none of them could earn a Tokyo Games quota, here on Saturday.

India’s brightest chance was with Gurpreet Singh but he was ousted after losing his 77kg pre-quarterfinal in just 48 seconds to 2020 European champion Rafig Huseynov from Azerbaijan.

The quick Huseynov pulled off a quick four-point move to stun Gurpreet. Before Gurpreet could regroup, the Azerbaijani effected another four-pointer to end the bout in the first period itself.

Gurpeet, who had won a bronze medal at last month’s Asian Qualifiers, had got a walkover from Tajikistan’s Daler Rez Zade in his opening bout.

Overall, India will field its biggest ever contingent of eight wrestlers at the Tokyo Olympics — four men’s free style wrestlers and as many women wrestlers.

In the last edition in 2016, India had fielded seven wrestlers — two men’s free style, two Greco Roman and three women wrestlers.

Men’s free style wrestler Sumit Malik (125kg) and Seema Bisla (50kg, women) earned quotas from this event in Sofia.

Before this event, Ravi Dahiya (57kg), Bajrang Punia (65kg), Deepak Punia (86kg) and Vinesh Phogat (women’s 53kg) had qualified through the 2019 World Championship in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan.