Judoka Tulika Maan recalibrates to deliver medal after unexpected Paris Games quota

NEW DELHI: Tulika Maan, the Indian judoka, had doubts about her chances of qualifying for the Olympics. However, having secured her spot at the Paris Games, she has her sights set on bringing home a medal. The 25-year-old has set a personal goal of reaching at least the bronze medal match.


Tulika, who previously won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games, earned a continental quota for the Paris Olympics in the +78 kg category on Tuesday. With her place in the competition now confirmed, she can focus on her preparations and strive to make her mark on the Olympic stage.

"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."

Tulika had doubts about her ability to secure a spot in the Olympics following an injury she sustained in 2022. The qualifying window for the event opened on June 22, 2022 and was set to close on June 23, 2024.

However, her triumph against Portuondo Isasi of Canada during the round of 32 at the World Championships held in Abu Dhabi the previous month boosted her 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 was not part of that," she said.

Nonetheless, her performances at the Asian Games in Hangzhou the previous year and the Asian Championships in Hong Kong earlier this April proved to be pivotal in accumulating essential points.

Hailing from Delhi, the athlete secured the 36th position with a total of 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 helped me."

Tulika believes that Su Xin, hailing from China, might emerge as her most formidable adversary during the upcoming Games.

"She will be my biggest competitor as I was injured during a bout with her in the 2022 Asian Championships. I think she was the toughest competitor I have faced. France's Romane Dicko is also a good competition. She is not as heavy as the Chinese but is quick and powerful," she said.

Talking about the support that she received as part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Tulika said: "I have got a lot of assistance from TOPS. A lot of us under TOPS get assistance to compete in events through the year to sustain our rankings. When the expenses are taken care of, we can compete without tension and can give our best."

Tulika will be the ninth woman judoka from India to compete in the Olympic Games.