Indian wrestlers at the Paris Olympics 2024: Squad, Schedule, Medal chances

Wrestling was part of the very first Olympics in 1896. Since then, it has become an important part of the Olympics Program and has been included in every edition barring once in the 1900 Olympics.

Paris Olympics will also have this exciting sport, offering 18 medal events, six each in the Greco-Roman, Women's Wrestling, and Men's Freestyle categories. The wrestling program in Paris is scheduled from 5 August to 11 August.

Soviet Union was the most successful country in the history of this sport at the Olympics as they won 62 gold medals but in recent eras, USA and Japan have been the two dominating forces in the sport.

Japan also won the previous edition of the Olympic Games in wrestling at their home in Tokyo 2020 with 5 golds, 1 silver, and a bronze.

India also has a very good streak of winning medals at the Olympic games and will want to continue this at the Paris Olympics.

Medal Predictions

India is sending a six-member wrestling contingent which includes five female wrestlers and one male wrestler.

Antim Panghal

India's biggest medal hope is the world championship medalist Antim Panghal. She has been one of the most consistent wester on tour for India.

She is also the only reigning world medalist from India. She will participate in women's 53 Kg wrestling.

Interestingly, If she played at her full potential, then she might become India's first female wrestler to reach the final of the Olympics.

Reetika Hooda

Reetika is India's first female wrestler who became the world U23 champion. Since then, she has shown immense growth and put her name on the world's map.

At the Paris Olympics, she is competing in the women's 76 Kg, which is one of the most open categories as any of the top 5-6 wrestlers can win a medal.

Reetika is also a medal contender in this category and can reach the final if she has a good day. She has had many victories against the top wrestlers in the last one and a half years.

Aman Sehrawat

Aman is the lone Indian male wrestler at Paris Olympics but he has a pretty tough field. However, he can get a good draw based on his seeding.

As of now, his potential quarterfinal matchup is against Arsen Harutyunyan of Armenia. This could be a tough match for the young Indian but if he finds a way to get victory he might become a potential contender.

Squad

Men: - Aman Sehrawat (57 Kg)

Women: - Vinesh Phogat(50 Kg), Antim Panghal (53 Kg), Anshu Malik(57 Kg), Nisha Dahiya (68 Kg), Reetika Hooda (76 Kg)

Schedule in IST

5 August

Women's Freestyle 68kg Round of 16 - 6:30 PM

Women's Freestyle 68kg Quarters - 7:50 PM

Women’s 68 kg Semifinals - 1:10 AM (6th)

6 August

Women's Freestyle 68kg Repechage - 2:30 PM

Women's Freestyle 50kg Round of 16 - 3:00 PM

Women's Freestyle 50kg Quarters - 4:20 PM

Women's Freestyle 50kg Semis - 10:25 PM

Women's Freestyle 68kg Medal Matches - 12:20 AM (7th)

7 August

Women's Freestyle 50kg Repechage - 2:30 PM

Women's Freestyle 53kg Round of 16 - 3:00 PM

Women's Freestyle 53kg Quarters - 4:20 PM

Women's Freestyle 53kg Semis - 10:25 PM

Women's Freestyle 50kg Medal Matches - 12:20 AM (8th)

8 August

Women's Freestyle 53kg Repechage - 2:30 PM

Men's Freestyle 57kg Round of 16 - 3:00 PM

Women's Freestyle 57kg Round of 16 - 3:00 PM

Men's Freestyle 57kg Quarters - 4:20 PM

Women's Freestyle 57kg Quarters - 4:20 PM

Men's Freestyle 57kg Semis - 9:45 PM

Women's Freestyle 57kg Semis - 10:25 PM

Women's Freestyle 53kg Medal Matches - 12:20 AM (9th)

9 August

Men's Freestyle 57kg Repechage - 2:30 PM

Women's Freestyle 57kg Repechage - 2:30 PM

Men's Freestyle 57kg Medal Matches - 11:00 PM

Women's Freestyle 57kg Medal Matches - 12:20 AM (10th)

10 August

Women’s Freestyle 76 kg Round of 16 - 3:00 PM

Women’s Freestyle 76 kg Quarters - 4:20 PM

Women’s Freestyle 76 kg Semis - 10:25 PM

11 August

Women’s 76 kg Repechage - 2:50 PM

Women’s 76 kg Medal Matches - 4:50 PM

Indian wrestling history at the Olympics

Indian wrestlers are always one of the medal prospects whenever the Olympics is about to start. This sport is the most successful individual sport for India in terms of the number of medals.

India has won seven medals in wrestling at the Olympics starting from the 1952 Helsinki Games. KD Jadhav was the first Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal as he clinched a bronze in men's 57 Kg.

However, it took 56 years for India to get their second wrestling medal. Sushil Kumar broke this long streak with a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in men's 66 Kg.

He then bettered his performance in the 2012 London Olympics and won a silver medal in the same category. Yogeshwar Dutt won a bronze medal at the same edition of the Olympics in 60 Kg.

Indian medal streak continued at Rio 2016 as Sakshi Malik became the first female wrestler to win an Olympic medal as she clinched bronze in women's 58 Kg.

Last time at the Tokyo Olympics, Indian wrestlers didn't disappoint and won two medals, Ravi Dahiya clinched India's only silver medal in men's 57 Kg while Bajrang Punia won another bronze medal in men's 65 Kg.