Ravi Dahiya to miss Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 due to knee injury
In a big blow to India's chances, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Ravi Dahiya has been ruled out of the selection trials for the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 due to a knee injury. The Indian champions suffered an injury during a training session at the Chhatrasal Stadium on February 6.
As per a report, the scans reveal grade 2 tears on his right knee in his MCL and ACL, which will keep him out of the competition scheduled to take place in Astana, Kazakhstan from April 9 to 14. Meanwhile, the selection trials are supposed to take place at the IG Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.
This also means that Dahiya won't be able to defend his crown in the 57kg category, which he won in 2022, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Interestingly, the last few months haven't been the greatest for him, as he failed to win a medal in the World Championship last year, and also was beaten in the first round of the CWG.
Some of the other top wrestlers like Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Jitender, and Satyawart Kadian won't also be a part of the trials due to the controversy that erupted a month back. But the likes of Deepak Punia, Anshu Malik, and Sonam Malik are set to compete.