Stranded in Dubai, Deepak, Sujeet risk missing Olympic qualifiers

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 18

Indian wrestlers Deepak Punia and Sujeet Kalkal are in danger of missing the Asian Olympic Qualifiers, which will start in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, tomorrow.

Deepak, who will take part in the 86kg weight division, and Sujeet, who displaced Bajrang Punia in the 65kg category, have been stranded at the Dubai International Airport for the last two days.

The duo, along with coach Kamal Malikov, was caught in the storm that has caused floods and destruction in the UAE. The wrestlers were en route from Dagestan, Russia, where they had been preparing for the meet.

They were to take a 10:30pm (12am IST Friday) flight for Bishkek on Thursday. However, the flight was delayed by two hours and 15 minutes. “Let’s assume they take the late flight. It will reach Bishkek by 7 in the morning and then they will have to go through immigration. It will take time to get out of the airport. It will be touch and go to reach the venue in time for the 8am weigh-in,” said a source in know of the situation.

As the Indian officials, including the Sports Authority of India (SAI) that sanctioned the funds for the wrestlers’ preparations under the TOPS scheme, got to know of the situation, the Indian Consulate was informed. “The consulate guys are in touch with both of them and they are likely to take a flight soon,” said a source in the SAI.

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh, who is also in Bishkek to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Asian body, said he was hopeful of the two wrestlers participating in the tournament. “They have been given a ticket and hopefully they will arrive here well in time for the weigh-in that is to take place at 8 in the morning,” Singh told The Tribune.

Moment of truth for Vinesh

Bishkek: The spotlight will be on two-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat as she along with 16 other Indian wrestlers begin their chase for Paris Games quota places at the Asia Olympics qualifiers beginning here tomorrow.

As many as 36 quotas will be up for grabs in 18 weight categories across three disciplines — freestyle, women and Greco-Roman — during the event, with India representing in all but one weight category.

Antim Panghal, 19, has already sealed a quota place in the women’s 53kg category for India en route her bronze medal-winning feat at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

The onus is on the rest of the Indian wrestlers such as Vinesh (50kg), Reetika Hooda (76kg), the current Under-23 world champion Anshu (57kg), Mansi (62kg) and Nisha (68kg) to put their best foot forward and seal their places.

In the men’s freestyle, Aman Sehrawat (57kg) will hog the limelight after he earned his place after outwitting Tokyo Olympics medallist Ravi Dahiya in the national trials.He also looks in good form as he had claimed a gold at the Zagreb Open in January this year.

There will be no gold medal, repechage or bronze medal bouts in the continental qualifiers with winners of both semifinals in each Olympics weight class earning a quota for their countries at the Paris Games. PTI

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