As the Paris Olympics 2024 enters its endgame, all of India’s last medal expectations rest with one of its most luminous wrestling talents: Reetika Hooda, wrestling in the heavyweight 76 kg category. Hailing from Rohtak district in Haryana, Reetika has grown into a strong wrestler on the international circuit and has finally emerged as a contender, hence carrying all the hopes of India to win a medal at Paris Olympics 2024.
A Historic Win in 2023
Reetika Hooda created history in 2023 by becoming the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the Under-23 World Championships. Nothing less than a spectacular win, she defeated highly-rated Kennedy Blades of the United States. Blades, who would go on to make the USA Olympic team, was one of the toughest opponents Reetika has come up against in her career.
A Silver Lining in Budapest
On the eve of the Olympics, Reetika showed her potential in the UWW ranking series in Budapest, Hungary. She brought home a silver medal after a highly thrilling contest, where she won three out of four bouts. The performance was promising, for it not only gave a fillip to morale but also enough warning to her opponents in the 76kg category.
Confronting the Best
The Paris Olympics 2024 chalked out 15 of the world’s best wrestlers in the 76kg category, where Reetika Hooda is no stranger to her competition. Notably, she has faced seven of them before in various tournaments and emerged victorious over six. This includes the bout against Colombia’s Tatiana Renteria, who finished bronze at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships, where Reetika lost by a marginal difference of a point.
Preparing for Immortality
Be as unique as it is intense, this would be her preparation for the Olympics. With no woman in her category available for sparring, Reetika wrestles with the boys who train alongside her. She had pushed herself to the limits so that she is at her best for the Games. Under coach Mandeep Singh’s watchful eye, Reetika has spent these past few months honing her skills and refining strategies—trying everything in her pursuit of Olympic glory.
en Route to Paris, Reetika’s case for the Olympics was pretty as clear as crystal when she became the first-ever Indian woman to qualify for heavyweight 76kg in the Olympics. She got the quota for the biggest quadrennial competition during the Olympic Qualifiers held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, guaranteeing her place amongst the elite wrestlers vying for the top prize in Paris.
India’s Medal Hopes
Fellow Indians Antim Panghal in the 53kg, Anshu Malik in the 57kg, Nisha Dahiya in the 68kg, Vinesh Phogat in the 50kg, and Aman Sehrawat in the 57kg categories have joined Reetika at Paris 2024.
As Reetika steps onto that mat at Paris 2024, she will not only be living her own dreams but also the hopes of an entire nation that is looking up to her. She has risen to that occasion, propelled by determination and skill, relentless in her training. India is going to watch, hope, and cheer for Reetika Hooda to bring home another Olympic medal, getting her name inscribed in Indian sports history.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
