Judoka Tulika Maan Targets Medal In Paris Olympics

Tulika Maan wasn't sure she would make the cut for the Olympics but now that she has qualified for Paris Games, the Indian judoka is hoping to return with a medal and has set a target of reaching at least the bronze play-off. The 25-year-old Tulika, a Commonwealth Games silver medallist, on Tuesday secured a continental quota for the Paris Olympics in the 78 kg category. "Judo has always been full of surprises and one never knows what would happen at any point of time. So one never knows what will happen that day. Look at how I made it to Paris Olympics," Tulika told SAI Media.

"But looking at my training, I am hoping I will make it to the bronze medal match at least if not the final. We are training for gold." The qualification period was between June 22, 2022 and June 23, 2024 and Tulika was not confident about qualifying for the Olympics after suffering an injury in 2022.

But a victory over Canada's Portuondo Isasi in the round of 32 in the World Championships in Abu Dhabi last month put her on the Olympic ranking.

"The journey has been exciting. My coach (Yashpal Solanki) had drawn up a calendar of events to target, but the Olympics was not part of that," she said.

However, her fifth-place finishes in the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year and the Asian Championships in Hong Kong in April this year helped her rack up crucial points.

The Delhi girl was ranked 36th with 1345 points.

"I won three bouts each in the Asian Games and the Asian Championship. Hong Kong is when I first thought maybe I could do it," she said, admitting that she was doubtful about her Olympic chances after she could not win a bout in two Grand Slam competitions in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and Astana (Kazakhstan).

"The win in the World Championship