Had decided to quit after missing Rio Olympics, recalls Rahul Aware

10/12/2018

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Indian wrestler Rahul Aware has revealed that he had decided to call it a day if he failed to make it into the squad for the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, after a year of hard work and passing trials, Aware was picked to represent India at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where he secured the gold medal.

Aware shared a take on retiring from a wrestling sport and can be played till a certain age if he could not able to participate in the Olympics.

“Time does not stop for anyone, my age was advancing and I was missing important tournaments. I missed the Olympics.....I had decided that if I qualify for the 2016 Olympics then it's fine, or else would retire from the sport. Wrestling is a game which can be played till a certain age -- maximum 30 years," said Aware.

In 2016, Rahul bagged a title of Sportsman of the Year award from the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai.

"I was sidelined for the 2016 Olympics. After an year there were trials for the (2018) Commonwealth Games, which was a challenge, but I took it for the last time (and got selected)," he said.

Earlier this year, Aware headed to Gold Coast Australia for Commonwealth Games on to bag the gold medal in the 57Kg freestyle category.