Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Deepak Punia and Ravi Kumar were on Monday seeded in their respective categories for the Tokyo Olympics in July-August, PTI reported.
Star female wrestler Vinesh, who has clinched gold medals in all the events she has taken part in 2021, is the top seed in the 53kg category ahead of local favourite Mayu Mukaida of Japan.
Both Bajrang and Deepak have been seeded second in the 65kg and 86kg category while Ravi has been seeded fourth in the 57kg.
Russia’s Rashidov Gadzhimurad is the top seed in men’s 65kg, Serbia’s Stevan Micic in the 57kg and Iran’s Hassan Yazdanicharati in the 86kg.
Anshu Malik, Sonam Malik, Seema Bisla are the other Indians who have earned quota spots at Tokyo 2020. Sumit Malik, who had won an Olympic quota in the 125kg category, has been provisionally suspended by world body UWW for failing a dope test.
Out of the Indians who have qualified, the seasoned Bajrang and Vinesh have a good chance of winning a medal. India have won at least one medal in wrestling in each of the three editions since Beijing 2008.
(With PTI inputs)
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