The trials for the Indian team ahead of the upcoming 2023 World Wrestling Championships will be held on August 25-26, in Patiala, the ad-hoc committee appointed to run the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India anounced on Monday.
Unlike the Asian Games trials where Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia were granted direct entries into the team, the ad-hoc committee has not announced exemptions for the World Championships trials.
The trials will be held Patiala in a total of 30 weight categories – 10 each in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling.
“Trials will be held in the following categories – Freestyle: 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg, 79kg, 86kg, 92kg, 97kg and 125kg. Greco-roman – 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 72kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg. Women’s wrestling: 50kg, 53kg, 55Kgk, 57Kgk, 59Kgk, 62Kgk, 65Kgk, 68Kg, 72kg and & 76kg,” a release from the committee read.
The trials will be conducted via the Nordic system – essentially, a round robin – if there are less than eight eligible wrestlers in a weight category. If there are eight or more wrestlers in a weight division then the direct-elimination system will be followed.
The World Championships in Belgrade from September 16-24 will serve as the first qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
With the Asian Games slated to start from September 23, it remains to be seen if the likes of Phogat, Punia, and others would priortise the global event ahead of the continental games.
The United World Wrestling had set August 16 as the final date to send entries for the World Championships, but the world body has agreed to extend the deadline due to the ongoing uncertainity surrounding the Wrestling Federation of India elections.
Earlier, the trials were expected to be held on August 10, but was pushed back to accomodate the elections on August 12.
The polls though were not held on the pre-decided date as the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a stay order and adjourned the issue. The election matter will be now heard in court on August 28.