There are a couple of bouts in Sujeet Kalkal's fledgling career that he is particularly proud of. One is against Sebastain C Rivera at an international ranking series last year. Sujeet was leading 7-2 with less than a minute left, but inexperience cost him the fight.
Rivera dramatically stepped up and turned it around for a 9-7 win. In the next few months, the Puerto Rican has gone on to win silver medal at the world championships, a Paris Olympics spot as well, and is currently World No.1 in the 65kg weight class.
Then there is the bout against USA's Yianni Diakomihalis in another international ranking series in Tunisia in 2022, whom Sujeet beat 8-2. Yianni -- a world championships silver medalist in 2022 is currently among the best in the world in the weight class. Bajrang Punia lost to Yianni in the semi-finals there.
For 22-year-old Sujeet, a world junior medallist who is new to the senior international circuit, these are all encouraging signs as he yearns for Paris Olympics qualification.
However, competing in a weight class (65kg) that Tokyo Olympics medallist Bajrang Punia usually dominates, the youngster has an uphill task.
ahead of him. The winner of selection trials next month will represent India in Olympic qualifiers -- the Asian Olympic qualifiers (April 19-21) and World Olympic qualifiers (May 9-12).
This story is from the February 17, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times.
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This story is from the February 17, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times.
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