BIRMINGHAM: Having failed to defend his title in the Commonwealth Games here last week when he was beaten by India’s Deepak Punia 3-0 in the final, Pakistan’s premier wrestler Mohammad Inam has now set his eyes on a seat for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Yes, it’s my next target and InshaAllah I will try my level best to book a seat in the 2024 Paris Games,” Inam told ‘The News’ here in an interview.
During his silver medal-winning journey in Birmingham, Inam also received a knee injury in the semi-final against South African wrestler Edwards Lessing and therefore failed to play up-to his potential in the final against young Punia, a former world silver medallist.
“Next year there will be the World Championship which will serve as Olympic qualifiers and after that we will have to play at least two more qualification rounds. We will plan for that. The Olympics is a big target and I will have to plan solidly,” Inam said.
However, he was quick to add he would need all out support for achieving his goal. “I will need support. I have also been awarded an IOC scholarship and that money will help me prepare upto some extent but there will be a huge need for further support from the government as well,” the two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist said.
“There are various issues in our way to progress. We don’t have proper infrastructure, physio, coach and so many other matters which need to be addressed. We don’t have top quality international wrestlers; we don’t get enough exposure and foreign training. Issues are manifold but definitely it’s my aim to qualify for the Paris 2024,” said Inam, who also has to his credit four world titles in beach wrestling.
There will be a three-pronged qualification system for the Paris 2024 in wrestling. As many as 60 men wrestlers will qualify for the Paris Olympics through the 2023 Senior World Wrestling Championship. The gold and silver medallists will progress to the Paris 2024 and fights will be conducted among the bronze medallists in each weight and their winners will also be awarded the Olympics seats.
And then 24 male wrestlers from Asia and Oceania will make it to the Olympics through the continental qualification tournament. The silver and gold medallists in each weight will progress to the Olympics from here.
In the third stage, 24 men wrestlers will qualify for the Paris Olympics through the 2024 world qualification tournament in which the gold and silver medallists in each weight will qualify. The two bronze medallists in each weight will then compete and the winners will qualify.
About his final fight against Punia in the Commonwealth Games 86kg competition here at the Coventry Arena the other day, Inam said it was not a mis-match.
“You know I had developed a knee injury in the semi-final against Edwards Lessing of South Africa and had pain but Punia did not win a one-sided fight. He got one point for caution and one when I went outside the circle. I played not bad but still you know the way India is supporting its wrestlers and the way he is getting exposure. Still, I am happy to play a close fight against him,” he said.
Inam had won bronze medal despite a serious injury, beating Symbat Sulaimanov of Kyrgyzstan 10-7 in the repechage bronze medal 97kg fight in the Asian Qualifying round for Tokyo Olympics in Almaty, Kazakhstan last year. However, he failed to qualify for Tokyo 2020.