#12 Weightlifting
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Since India had earned two quota Olympic berths by virtue of their overall performance at the Senior Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan earlier this year, it was up to the governing bodies to pick the most befitting candidates – each in men’s and women’s weightlifting. At the end of the selection trials conducted by Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) in Patiala this month, India finally had its two best candidates for the weightlifting competition in Rio 2016.
Sivalingam Sathish Kumar – Men’s 77kg – Sathish holds a Commonwealth gold medal from Glasgow 2014 and will look to embellish his medal cabinet with one from the Olympics this year.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu – Women’s 48kg – The Manipur-girl smashed the previous Indian best lift of 190 kg by scoring a commendable 192, which is now the standing national record, in the qualifying event this month.
#13 Wrestling
Narsingh Pancham Yadav – Narsingh Yadav booked a quota at the World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas last year in the 74kg category.
Yogeshwar Dutt – Dutt became the second Indian wrestler to book a quota for Rio in the 65kg Free Style category at the Asian Olympic qualifier in Astana in Kazakhstan.
Hardeep Singh – Hardeep became the third grappler to book a quota at the same event in the 98kg Greco-Roman category at the Asian Olympic qualifier in Astana in Kazakhstan.
Sandeep Tomar – Sandeep booked a quota for Rio 2016 last month at the World qualifying event in Ulaanbaatar in the 57kg category.
Ravinder Khatri- Qualified for Rio after his opponent Zhanabek KenZheev was found guilty of testing positive in the 85kg category.
Vinesh Phogat – In the final qualification event, Vinesh Phogat booked the quota in the 48kg category in the final qualifying event in Istanbul.
Sakshi Malik – Joining Phogat for Rio will be Sakshi Malik, who booked her quota on the second last day in the 58kg category in the last qualifying event in Istanbul.
Babita Kumari- She got the quota after her opponent Sumiya Erdenechimeg was found guilty of testing positive in the 53kg category.
