Antim Panghal Clinches Bronze and Paris 2024 Olympic Quota with Dominant Performance at World Wrestling Championships 2023

Indian wrestler Antim Panghal secures bronze and Paris 2024 Olympic quota with a stunning victory over Sweden’s two-time European champion Emma Jonna Denise Malmgren in the women’s 53kg category at the World Wrestling Championships 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia. This win marks India’s first Olympic quota in wrestling for the upcoming Summer Games in Paris.

Antim Panghal, a two-time U20 world champion, showcased her dominance by winning the bronze medal match 16-6 by technical superiority. Her journey to this remarkable achievement began with an upset victory over 2022 world champion Dominique Olivia Parrish of the USA in the opening round, with a score of 3-2.

In subsequent rounds, Antim Panghal continued her impressive performance. She secured victories by technical superiority against Poland’s Roksana Marta Zasina in the round of 16 and a 9-6 win against Russia’s Natalia Malysheva in the quarter-finals.

However, she faced a tough challenge in the semi-finals against Belarus’ Vanesa Kaladzinskaya and narrowly lost by a margin of 5-4.

This achievement by Antim Panghal adds to India’s hopes for a strong performance in wrestling at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Her remarkable journey to secure both the bronze medal and the Olympic quota highlights her talent and determination on the wrestling mat.

In other wrestling action, India’s Gurpreet Singh (77kg) and Ajay (55kg) faced defeat in the round of 32 bouts as Greco-Roman wrestling began in Belgrade. Sajan (82kg) and Mehar Singh (130kg) also exited the competition in the qualification round.

Despite their efforts, the Indian men’s freestyle wrestlers were unable to secure medals or Olympic quotas in their respective weight categories, closing this chapter of the World Wrestling Championships.