Sushil Kumar to compete in 74kg, Yogeshwar Dutt in 65kg at 2016 Rio Olympics

Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt

To avoid a face-off against each other, star wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt will compete in two different categories at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Sushil will compete in the 74kg category while Yogeshwar in the 65kg category.

The two will compete in 70 kg and 65kg categories in the FILA (International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles) Competitions, including the world and continental championships.

FILA recently rejigged the weight classes, prior to which two-time Olympic champion Sushil Kumar was competing in the 66 kg freestyle category, while London games Bronze medalist Yogeshwar Dutt took part in the 60kg freestyle. Both the wrestlers after discussions with national coaches have conveyed their decision to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

As a result, Sushil and Yogeshwar will be competing in the 70kg and 6kkg categories respectively, in the Colorado Springs tournament, marking their return on the international arena after the 2012 London Games. In the Dave Schultz Memorial International tournament from January 30 to February 1 in the USA, the two star grapplers will compete in the higher weight categories for the first time post FILA’s announcement.

“Sushil has decided to compete in 70kg for the FILA competitions while for Olympic qualifiers, Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, he has decided to move to 74kg to avoid any face-off against Yogeshwar. His childhood buddy Yogeshwar has also decided to move to 65kg from his traditional 60kg for Olympic events and FILA championships,” chief national coach Vinod Kumar said.

“The decision was arrived at after a series of talks with both the wrestlers. It was a tough decision but was taken keeping in mind the interest of our nation,” he added.

Sushil has previously struggled every time to reduce his weight to compete in 66kg, while Yogeshwar had won his Olympic medal in the 60kg category in 2012, in which Sushil competed in 66kg for his historic silver at the London Games.

After the 55kg category was scrapped, World Championship silver medalist Amit Kumar Dahiya will now move to the 57kg category in the Olympic and FILA events.Bajrang, Dahiya’s compatriot will now compete inn the 61kg freestyle category as per the new weight segments for the FILA, World Cups and Golden Grand Prix championships.

Following Sushil’s move from 66kg to 74 kg, Narsingh Yadav, Gold medalist in the 2010 Commonwealth Games will now compete in the 86kg instead of the 74 kg group in Olympic and FILA events. Satyavrat, winner of the 9th Roustam-E-International Indian Style wrestling title, will compete in the 96kg.

“The wrestlers are undergoing training as per the new weight categories at Sonepat to prepare for the USA championship and other international events,” Kumar added.

FILA has tweaked the 18 weight divisions in Geneva last month, and the rule changes and competition format came into effect from today.

Sushil’s coach and father-in-law Satpal Singh shared a different view when FILA had announced the change in the weight category. He wanted Sushil to fall back to the 65kg category as it was the nearest to the division he has been fighting in.

However, later on, Satpal, a 1982 Asian Games gold medallist, has agreed to Sushil’s proposed higher category.