Indian wrestler Ravi Dahiya licking his lips at prospect of becoming Asian Champion in front of home crowd

New Delhi will play host to the upcoming edition of Asian Wrestling Championship (AWC). Many Indian wrestlers will be in contention for a medal. Among them, one of the biggest favourites prospects for a gold medal is Ravi Dahiya in the 57kg freestyle category.

He is the bronze medalist from last year’s World Wrestling Championship and is in good form this year also, having won the gold medal recently in the Rome Ranking Series event. Now, the 23-year old is setting his sights at becoming the Asian Champion – something that would give him momentum heading into the Olympics later this year.

Speaking about the competition he would face in the coming days, Dahiya singled out Iran’s reigning Asian Champion Reza Ahmed Ali Atrinagharchi as the biggest challenger in AWC while Russia's World Champion in this category Zavur Uguev is the one he thinks will pose a tough challenge in Tokyo.

“Iran’s Reza Ahmedali Atrinagharchi will be a strong opponent to lookout. Apart from Iran, Japan, Uzbekistan, and Korea will also be tough. In the Tokyo Olympics, Russia’s Zavur Uguev will be a tough contender,” Dahiya told WrestlingTV – the broadcasters of the upcoming event.

The wrestler is currently training in Russia and thinks this experience will strengthen him further and aid the preparations for the upcoming continental championship.

“In Russia, I am practicing and training with better and stronger wrestlers. Each day I am fighting new wrestlers, and I am learning a thing or two every day. Coach Murad is training me in every way possible. He is putting new challenges before me every day and it’s making me stronger as a wrestler and improving my techniques.”

Another product of the great wrestler-producing culture of Haryana, Dahiya will be one of India’s big hopes alongside the likes of Bajrang Punia for a medal in the relatively productive sport of freestyle wrestling at the Olympics. His performance in the upcoming Asian Championship would give us a good indication of his current state of performance.