Whoever wins the trial will go to Rio Olympics: Sushil Kumar
India’s double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar said on Wednesday that he has recovered from the injury that kept him out of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) and is all set to go to the Rio Olympics. The Olympian will, however, need to cross a trial hurdle before he reaches Rio.
The 32-year old will have to beat Narsingh Yadav in the men’s 74kg trials to get the ticket to Rio. 26-year old Narsingh Yadav had earned India’s only quota in Wrestling for the 2016 Olympics with a bronze in the World Championship in Las Vegas in September last year. However, Sushil is not worried about missing out on the plane to Rio after claiming he is fit and ready for a fight to claim the spot.
“It is very simple as far Narsingh and I are concerned. Whoever wins the trial will go to Rio. We have trained together for many years now and we are friends. Every time there is a different situation (for qualifying). I qualified at the last moment in 2012 while I had secured my berth much earlier for the 2008 and 2004 Olympics.
“All I can say is that I am fully fit now. I will be part of the national camp starting day after in Sonepat. After that guruji (coach Satpal) has charted a two-month program in USA where I will train under a specialist men’s 74kg coach,” Sushil told PTI after the launch of his brainchild Sushil4Sports, an initiative aimed at supporting athletes from various disciplines.
The Olympian also hinted about his eagerness to participate in the 2020 Olympics by saying he will fight until his fitness allows.
“I don’t remember saying that Rio will be my last Olympics. That is not my wish. My wish is to keep competing as long as I can and why not 2020 Olympics if I am able to maintain fitness. Jab tak body fit hain tab takkhelterahenge (I will keep wrestling as long as my body holds),” Sushil told PTI.
The flag-bearer of Indian wrestling also opened up about the controversy surrounding his absence from the inaugural edition of Pro Wrestling League (PWL), which ended a few weeks back.
“People who know me know that I am a very simple man. Once there was renovation going on in the stadium (Chhatrasal Stadium here) but still I used to train here. I still sleep on the floor. Pro Wrestling League has come now, I have been wrestling since 94. They should only speak after knowing about the kind of person I am. I had gone to train in Georgia only to prepare myself for the League but I got injured and had to pull out,” he said, reported PTI.
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