PARIS: Indian women wrestlers have made waves in the lower weight categories for years, with the likes of the Phogat sisters and Sakshi Malik making their mark. There are very few who compete in the heavyweight division and make the heads turn. Reetika Hooda, the 22-year-old from Rohtak, is one from the rare breed.
Reetika has followed in the footsteps of Kiran Bishnoi, who won bronze at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022. Reetika is seen as a pioneer in women's wrestling in the country as she is the first Indian female wrestler to qualify for the Olympics in the heavyweight category. She also became the first Indian female U-23 world wrestling champion in the 76kg class after beating Kennedy Blades (USA) in the final last year.
