Wrestler Seema Bisla in striking distance of Tokyo Olympics qualification with semis berth in World Qualifiers

Asian Championships bronze medalist wrestler Seema Bisla inched closer to bagging a spot at the Tokyo Olympics by advancing to the World Qualifiers semifinals on Friday.

Seema looked in complete control from the word go as she blanked Emma Jonna Denise Malmgren of Sweden 10-2 to make the last four at the qualifying tournament.

Making full use of a relatively easy 50kg draw, Seema steam-rolled one opponent after another to stay on course for her maiden Olympic berth. She will be up against the 2019 Junior European Championship bronze medalist Anna Lukasiak of Poland in the semi-finals later on Friday.

Earlier, Seema began her campaign by pinning Anastasiya Yanotava of Belarus 8-0 that ensured her passage into the quarterfinals.

Tokyo Olympics wrestling qualifiers: End of road for Nisha, Pooja

Meanwhile, two other Indian female pugilists suffered losses in their respective bouts. Nisha Dahiya began in stupendous fashion in women's 68kg but could not sustain the momentum. She went down 2-12 against Mimi Hristova of Bulgaria in the quarterfinals.

Her compatriot, Pooja Sihag, failed to advance to the main round after falling short against Kamile Gaucaite of Lithuania in the women's 76kg event.

The finalists at the World Qualifiers will earn direct quotas for the Tokyo Olympics.

On Thursday, India bagged another Olympic quota in wrestling after Sumit Malik ousted Venezuela’s Jose Daniel Diaz Robertti in the 125kg semi-finals. Malik became the seventh wrestler from India to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

Ravi Dahiya (57kg), Bajrang Punia (65kg), Deepak Punia (86kg), Vinesh Phogat (53kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), and Sonam Malik (62kg) are the other Indian wrestlers to have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.