The 19-year-old Indian wrestler Antim Panghal secured India’s first wrestling quota for the next Summer Olympics, the Paris 2024 Olympics.
On Thursday (September 21), Antim Panghal beat the Swedish two-time European champion Emma Jonna Denise Malmgren in the women’s 53kg event at the World Wrestling Championships 2023 in Belgrade (Serbia) to win the bronze medal. With that bronze medal, Antim opened up the country’s first wrestling quota for the next Summer Olympics.
Paris 2024 Olympics: Women's 53kg wrestling event - Antim Panghal assured India's 1st wrestling quota
So, India ultimately secured a quota in the women’s 53 kg event for the next Summer Olympics. This first wrestling quota is the 16th secured spot for India for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Antim Panghal (Image Credit: X)
Antim won the bronze medal match against Jonna by technical superiority with a scoreline of 16-6. Earlier, in the opening round, she defeated the American defending World Wrestling Championships title holder Dominique Olivia Parrish by 3-2.
Currently, the Indian national wrestling federation, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has been going through suspension for not conducting elections on time. So, the Indian players are participating at the World Wrestling Championships 2023 under the United World Wrestling (UWW) flag.
Although Antim secured India’s Paris 2024 Olympics spot in the women’s 53kg wrestling event, she hasn’t secured her place for the next Summer Olympics yet.
Just like shooting events, the National Olympic Committees have the authority to choose the representative members for the respective national teams in the wrestling events at the Summer Olympics.
Who is Antim Panghal
In both the 2022 and 2023 editions of the World Junior Wrestling Championships (U20), Antim Panghal won the gold medals in the women’s 53 kg events.
Last April, during the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023, Antim won the silver medal in the women’s 53 kg events.
