Nisha Dahiya wins fifth Paris Olympics quota in Women's Wrestling

Wrestler Nisha Dahiya won the fifth Paris Olympics quota in women's wrestling for India after reaching the final of 68kg at the World Olympic qualifiers on Friday.

This will be the first time India will have five women wrestlers at the quadrennial extravaganza.

U-23 bronze medalist Nisha defeated Alexandra Nicoleta Anghel of Romania 8-4 in the semi-final to enter the final and secure the fifth Olympic quota for India.

It was a roller-coaster match as Nisha raced to an 8-0 lead with a couple of fierce attacks in the first round. She began with a right leg attack converting it into a takedown.

After her initial burst, she roller her rival to take two more points. Before the end of the first period, she had taken what became an unassailable 8-0 lead.

The Romanian came all out in the final and launched a flurry of attacks. She managed a takedown to make it 2-8. Nisha survived a dangerous moment later when the Romanian almost pinned her with the Indian wrestler just getting away in the nick of time.

Nisha had earlier defeated Belarusian teenager Alina Shauchuk, competing as an independent athlete, on points 3-0 to secure a place in the quarterfinal.

Nisha, 25, then overcame the challenge of ninth-ranked wrestler from the Czech Republic Adela Hanzlickova, a multiple European Championships medallist, on points 7-4 to book a place in the semifinal against Anghel, ranked 58th in the world.

Another Indian wrestler in action, Mansi lost all her hopes for the Olympic quota as the opponent she lost to in the quarter-final failed to make it to the final of the 62kg category.

Four Indian women wrestlers have already secured Paris berths. While Antim Panghal obtained an Olympic quota in the 53kg category with a bronze-medal finish at the World Championships last year, Vinesh Phogat (50kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), and Reetika Hooda (76kg) clinched the spots for the country at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in March.