Indian wrestler Antim Panghal’s much-anticipated Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games ended with a first-round defeat in the women’s 53kg wrestling event. The competition, held at the Champ-de-Mars Arena on Wednesday, saw Panghal facing Turkiye’s Zeynep Yetgil, who triumphed with a decisive 10-0 victory.
Panghal entered the bout with high expectations, backed by an impressive track record as a two-time junior world champion and a senior World Championships bronze medalist. Seeded fourth in her category, Panghal was expected to be a strong contender for India. However, the match took an unfavourable turn for the Indian wrestler as Yetgil, a two-time European Championships bronze winner, quickly seized the initiative.
The Turkish wrestler began the match aggressively, executing a successful takedown that earned her two points. She continued to dominate by flipping Panghal again, extending her lead to 4-0 within the first minute. Yetgil’s relentless assault continued as she scored an additional six points in quick succession, concluding the bout with a technical superiority win inside 90 seconds.
The early exit for Antim Panghal meant her hopes for an Olympic medal were dashed prematurely. Her chance to secure a bronze medal through the repechage round evaporated when Yetgil was defeated by Germany’s Annika Wendle in the subsequent round. Under Olympic wrestling rules, Panghal needed Yetgil to advance to the finals to be eligible for a repechage opportunity.
Antim Panghal’s journey to the Paris 2024 Olympics was marked by significant achievements and high expectations. She secured an Olympic quota for India in the women’s 53kg category by winning a bronze medal at the World Championships last year. In doing so, she overtook veteran wrestler Vinesh Phogat to become India’s leading athlete in her weight division. Panghal’s accolades also include defending her U-20 world title and winning a bronze medal at the Asian Games 2023 in October.
Panghal was part of a six-member Indian wrestling squad competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Her elimination followed the exit of Nisha Dahiya, who was knocked out in the quarter-finals of the women’s 68kg category on Monday. Meanwhile, Vinesh Phogat, competing in the women’s 50kg division, was disqualified after failing the weigh-in for her final match on Wednesday.
Looking ahead, India’s wrestling hopes at Paris 2024 continue with Aman Sehrawat, who is set to compete in the men’s freestyle 57kg division on Thursday. Anshu Malik will also begin her campaign in the women’s 57kg category the same day. The final Indian wrestler to compete will be Reetika Hooda, who will take to the mat in the women’s 76kg division on Saturday.
