Well-prepared for a solid grip

Indian wrestling has been in spotlight in recent times, thanks to the exploits of Sushil Kumar and his mates. The grapplers stole the show in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with 13 medals. A month later, the Asian Games beckon them to shine. There will be no Sushil but hopes will still be high from the younger lot.

The presence of Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt in the strong 20-member contingent, comprising freestyle, Greco-Roman and women wrestlers, will be an added bonus. The competition at the Asian Games will be of a higher level with the presence of powerhouses like Iran, Kazakhstan, Japan and Korea. But Asiad has been high on the priority list of wrestlers and therefore a second rung team was sent to the World Championships this month.

For Yogeshwar, it will serve as a testing ground for the Rio Olympics. “In the Asian Games, the competition will be of the level of the World Championships or the Olympics. If you win there, you know you have the potential to become a world champion or an Olympic champion,” he says.

Amit Kumar Dahiya has been a standout performer in recent times. The CWG gold medallist will look for an encore in the 57kg. The performances of Bajrang, Satyawart Kadian, who won silver in CWG, and Pawan Kumar, who bagged the bronze in Glasgow, will be keenly watched as they are considered the future of Indian wrestling.

Making a comeback at international level would be two talented wrestlers — Narsingh Yadav and Parveen Rana. Narsingh, who qualified for the 2012 Olympics, has been sidelined with Sushil moving into 74kg after the removal of 66kg from international competitions. With Sushil not there, Narsingh knows it will be an opportunity from him to prove himself. Rana, who has been Sushil’s sparring partner in 66kg, has performed admirably at the international level as a junior. The 20-year-old, who is coming back from a neck injury, has now moved to 70kg.

Spotlight will also be on Sandeep Yadav, who became the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to win a medal (bronze) at the world championships in 2013. Since then he has been preparing for the Asiad. “There was no Greco-Roman in CWG so my focus was on the Asian Games. I am looking to win a medal there,” he said.
In women’s wrestling, Phogat sisters — Babita and Vinesh — will lead the pack.  “The wrestlers from Japan and China are known for their speed and we are working towards that. We both are competing in the Asiad for the first time and we want to give our best,” says Babita.