History making wrestling team set for Delhi

Six Australian wrestlers will have the distinction of becoming the first female wrestlers to compete at the Commonwealth Games when the women’s freestyle discipline is introduced in Delhi in October.

Women’s wrestling was introduced onto the Olympic program in 2004, however Australia wasn’t represented in the female division until Beijing when Kyla Bremner became the first Australian female wrestler to compete at the Olympic Games, finishing 17^th overall.

Selected in the 51kg class Bremner will once again create history with the 33-year-old Sydney doctor one of six history-making females in Delhi, including Emily Bensted (55kg), Carli Renzi (59kg), Louise Randle (63kg), Emma Chalmers (67kg) and Cassie Fields (72kg).

Australia has won 13 gold medals in wrestling since 1930, our last wrestling gold coming at the 1978 Edmonton Games, courtesy of Zsigmond Kelevitz in the 68kg division.

India and Canada have dominated the sport across all weight divisions in recent times and the host nation is once again expected to shine on home soil in one of their traditional sports.

“India are currently top of the Commonwealth and taking them head-on in a home Games is going to be quite a task for the Australian athletes,” Wrestling Australia president John Saul said.

“However we have a very strong wrestling team qualified for the Games in New Delhi.

“Despite most of our team members making their Commonwealth Games debut, there is a wealth of experience amongst them and we expect to be amongst the medals, especially in the men’s Greco Roman and women’s freestyle categories. 

ACGA Chief Executive Officer Perry Crosswhite said “we don't really know what to expect performance-wise from our wrestlers but as in past Games they will do their best and be competitive."

Delhi 2010 will feature 14 weight categories for men (seven freestyle and seven greco roman) and seven freestyle weight categories for women.

The wrestling competition will be held at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex from 5 to 10 October 2010.

2010 Female Australian Commonwealth Games wrestling team