Yogeshwar Dutt to Lead 17-Member Wrestling Team For Asian Olympic Qualification

Yogeshwar Dutt will spearhead a 17-member wrestling team for the Asian Olympic Qualification tournament, to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan from March 18 to 20. (Yogeshwar Pens Poem Criticising JNU Activists)

The team, consisting of five men's freestyle wrestlers, six Greco-Roman and six female wrestlers, is likely to reach Astana on March 15. (Indian Grapplers Bag Nine Medals at Asian Wrestling Championship)

In men's freestyle, all eyes will be on Yogeshwar to book an Olympic berth for India in 65kg category, while at least two out of four others in the fray -- Rahul Aware (57kg), Somveer (86kg), Satyawart Kadiayan (97kg) and Hitender (125kg) -- are also expected to qualify for the Rio Games.

Narsingh Yadav has already booked an Olympic berth for India in 74kg division. He was the lone Indian who qualified for the Rio Games at the last year's World Championship in Las Vegas.

London Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar could not fight during last year's World Championship due to an injury.

In female wrestling, Phogat sisters -- Vinesh (48kg) and Babita (53kg) -- and Sakshi Malik (58kg) stand a good chance of booking a quota place for the country in their respective weight categories.

After the crucial tournament in Astana, which is the first qualifying event for the Olympics this year, the team will head to Mongolia for another qualifying tournament -- first World Qualification tournament -- from April 20 to 24.

The last Olympic qualifier -- second World Qualification tournament -- is scheduled to be held in Istanbul from May 6-8.

Squad: 

Freestyle: Rahul Aware (57kg), Yogeshwar Dutt (65kg), Somveer (86kg), Satyawart Kadiyan (97kg), Hitender (125kg); Greco-Roman: Ravinder Singh (59kg), Ravinder (66kg), Gurpreet Singh (75kg), Ravinder Khatri (85kg), Hardeep Singh (98kg), Naveen (130kg); Female wrestling: Vinesh Phogat (48kg), Babita Kumari (53kg), Sakshi Malik (58kg), Anita (63kg), Navjot Kaur (67kg), Kiran (75kg).