The reigning Asian Games champion Vinesh Phogat will be making her return to competitive wrestling at the Budapest Ranking Series 2023 starting from Thursday.
The event in Hungary will conclude in four days on July 16. As per olympics.com, this meet, also known as Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial wrestling tournament, is the fourth and final ranking series of the year.
Vinesh was among the wrestlers who were part of protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh against whom allegations have been by women wrestlers of sexual harassment.
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Through such series, wrestlers earn crucial points that help determine their seedings at big events like world championships. The wrestling championships this year will be held from September 16 to 24 at Belgrade. It is also a qualifier event for Summer Olympics 2024 in Paris.
Vinesh had previously competed in Commonwealth Games and won a medal in the 53 kg category. She will be competing in the 55 kg category at Budapest as a part of 11-member playing field.
USA’s 2019 world champion Jacarra Gwenisha Winchester and current U23 Asian Champion Li Deng of China will be among the top wrestlers of the 55 kg category who will be competing at the event.
From India, world championships bronze medallist Sarita Mor (women’s 59kg), Sujeet (men’s 65kg) and Greco-Roman wrestler Sunil Kumar (87kg) will be the other three Indian wrestlers competing at the ranking series.
This year, India has won two bronze medals each at Zagreb and Ibrahim Moustafa ranking series tournaments. A gold medal, a silver and two bronze medals came at the Bishkek ranking series as well.
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