Lucknow: Vinesh Phogat stunned the newly crowned World U-20 Championships champion, Antim Panghal, in the women’s trials for the World Wrestling Championships held here at SAI Centre.
The World Wrestling Championships will be held from September 10 to 18 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Worlds championships 2019 bronze medallist and three-time Commonwealth Games champion Vinesh defeated the young wrestler 7-0 to make the cut in 53kg category.
Vinesh was the only one of India’s six-member CWG women’s contingent to make it to the Worlds squad as the likes of Divya Kakran, Anshu Malik, Pooja Sihag, Sakshi Malik and Pooja Gehlot did not compete in trials due to various reasons.
The world no.1 in 59kg, Sarita Mor, switched to 57kg division in a quest to book a place in the Paris Olympics. The 2021 Worlds bronze medallist, registered a 4-0 win over Lalita in the trials.
Mansi Ahlawat ousted Worlds bronze medallist Pooja Dhanda 2-0 to secure the place in the 59kg category.
Olympian Sonam Malik, who won a silver at the U-20 Worlds, beat Manisha 2-1 in the 62kg class.
Asian championships bronze medallist Sushma Shokeen secured berth in 55kg as after beating Pinky. Both wrestlers drew level at 3-3, but Sushma got the spot for winning the last point of the bout.
Other women wrestlers to qualify for global meet were: Ankush (50kg), Sushma Shokeen (55kg), Shefali (65kg), Nisha (68kg), Ritika (72kg), Priyanka (76kg).
Squad: Ankush (50kg), Vinesh Phogat (53kg), Sushma Shokeen (55kg), Sarita Mor (57kg), Mansi Ahlawat (59kg), Sonam Malik (62kg), Shefali (65kg), Nisha Dahiya (68kg), Reetika (72kg) and Priyanka (76kg). (UNI)
