In New Delhi [India], Indian judoka Tulika Maan was worried about her chances of qualifying for the Olympics. However, now that she is guaranteed a place at the Paris Games, she hopes to take home a gold. The 25-year-old has set a personal goal of at least reaching the bronze medal match.
Tulika secured a quota for the Paris Olympics for India in judo as per the latest rankings released by the International Judo Federation (IJF) on Tuesday. The 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist secured the quota in the women's +78kg division through a continental quota.
"Judo has always been full of surprises and you never know what would happen at any moment. So you never know what will happen that day. Look how I got to the Paris Olympics. But looking at my training, I hope I will make it to the match for the bronze medal at least, if not the final. We are training for gold," Tulika told SAI Media.
Tulika questioned his ability to qualify for the Olympics after suffering an injury in 2022. The qualification period for the event began on June 22, 2022, and was scheduled to end on June 23, 2024. However, his victory over Canada's Portuondo Isasi in the World Championships round of 32 in Abu Dhabi the previous month raised his position in the Olympic rankings.
"The journey has been exciting. My coach (Yashpal Solanki) had drawn up a calendar of events to target, but the Olympics were not part of it," he said.
Previously, Tulika accumulated 1345 ranking points during the qualifying period from June 22, 2022 to June 23, 2024. He finished 36th in the rankings to secure a continental quota for India.
Tulika hails from Bhopal and has been a consistent performer at the national and international level. She participated in the 2017 Budapest World Championships and the 2017 Tokyo World Judo Championships. She also achieved a silver medal at the Kuwait Asian Open in 2023.
National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games and athletes' participation in the Paris Games is dependent on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
For Olympic judo, NOCs will need to confirm that they will use quota places by 2 July.
Tulika secured a quota for the Paris Olympics for India in judo as per the latest rankings released by the International Judo Federation (IJF) on Tuesday. The 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist secured the quota in the women's +78kg division through a continental quota.
"Judo has always been full of surprises and you never know what would happen at any moment. So you never know what will happen that day. Look how I got to the Paris Olympics. But looking at my training, I hope I will make it to the match for the bronze medal at least, if not the final. We are training for gold," Tulika told SAI Media.
Tulika questioned his ability to qualify for the Olympics after suffering an injury in 2022. The qualification period for the event began on June 22, 2022, and was scheduled to end on June 23, 2024. However, his victory over Canada's Portuondo Isasi in the World Championships round of 32 in Abu Dhabi the previous month raised his position in the Olympic rankings.
"The journey has been exciting. My coach (Yashpal Solanki) had drawn up a calendar of events to target, but the Olympics were not part of it," he said.
Previously, Tulika accumulated 1345 ranking points during the qualifying period from June 22, 2022 to June 23, 2024. He finished 36th in the rankings to secure a continental quota for India.
Tulika hails from Bhopal and has been a consistent performer at the national and international level. She participated in the 2017 Budapest World Championships and the 2017 Tokyo World Judo Championships. She also achieved a silver medal at the Kuwait Asian Open in 2023.
National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games and athletes' participation in the Paris Games is dependent on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
For Olympic judo, NOCs will need to confirm that they will use quota places by 2 July.