Sushil, Yogeshwar to miss 26th Senior Asian Wrestling Championship

FILE PHOTO: Sushil Kumar(l) and Yogeshwar Dutt(r)

Indian campaign in the upcoming 26th Senior Asian Wrestling Championships beginning at the KD Jadhav Wrestling Stadium in New Delhi from April 18 to 24 has been a dealt a big blow after it was confirmed that two of the country’s best grapplers – Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt would have to give the championship a miss.

According to Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), the duo has not adequately recovered from their respective injuries.

It is learnt that Sushil who bagged a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics in the 66-kg category, is yet to recover from a shoulder injury.

The wrestler, who is the only Indian to win back-to-back individual Olympic medals, having earlier won a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, hasn’t been seen in any competitive action after his silver medal effort at the London Olympics.

Sushil has been coping with a shoulder injury, which has kept him out of action for more than seven months.

Yogeshwar, who won a bronze medal in the 60-kg category, was undergoing rehab after he tore a ligament in January.

The lanky grappler had sustained a knee injury after the London Olympics and was out of competition for two months.

The Wrestling Federation of India had included the star grapplers in the seven-member freestyle squad for the 26th Senior Asian Wrestling Championships at the SAI Northern Training Centre in Sonepat on March 21.

The absence of the star duo is a big disappointment for the home crowd, who would have looked forward to seeing them in international action in their own backyard.

Sushil will be replaced by Amit Dhankar in the 66-kg category, while Yogeshwar will be supplanted by Bajrang in the 60-kg category.

Both Amit and Bajrang were part of the reserves.

Wrestling Federation of India sources indicate that both Sushil and Yogeshwar were bullish about being fit for selection at this Asian championship during the selection trials held last month, which prompted the selectors to pick them in the seven-member squad.

It is learnt that both the grapplers are consulting their doctors and will return to the mat soon.

The WFI is hopeful that the Asian championship would give the new crop of grapplers to not only gain vital international exposure but also make a big impression in front of their home fans.

As many as 225 wrestlers from 19 countries will be competing in the three disciplines – freestyle, greco-roman and female in the five-day event.