CHENNAI: Asian Games selection trials derailed several U-20 wrestlers' plans. While a few of them were forced to skip the U-20 Asian Championships in Amman City, Jordan, many others appeared in the trials soon after landing in the country affecting their performance to a great extent. The U-20 Asian Championships was held from July 16 to 20 while the trials were organised in New Delhi on July 22 and 23.
As that was not enough, now selection trials for the Senior World Championships are threatening to hamper the schedule of these wrestlers once again. Amman City will once again be the host with the U-20 Worlds scheduled at the place from August 14 to 20. Wrestlers, who were selected for the Asian event, will represent the country in the World as well. However, the catch here is the pending selection trials.
The deadline for sending entries for the senior Worlds is August 16. The ad-hoc committee, which is running the sport in the country, wanted to hold the trials before the deadline. The plan was suitable even for Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, who led the protest against the sidelined Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The duo, who was given direct entry for the Asian Games, is currently training abroad and will be back in the country for the Worlds trials next month.
However, a few wrestlers who had won Asiad selection trials recently requested the panel and sports ministry not to hold the trials before August 20 so that they get enough time to recover and prepare for it. Given the request, the ad-hoc panel on Thursday mailed the United World Wrestling (UWW) to extend the deadline to August 25.
But this request will eventually have a bearing on these wrestlers' participation at the U-20 Worlds. Once again, this would force them to either skip the championships or participate in two back-to-back intense competitions without much gap.
Three players — Antim Panghal (53kg, women's wrestling), Jaideep (74kg, freestyle) and Sumit (60kg, Greco-Roman) — had skipped the Asian tournament for trials. A lot of them participated in both competitions but lack of proper recovery meant they lost the trials despite winning medals at the Asian event. Only Antim among them managed to win the trials.
"Jaideep had to miss the U-20 Asian Championships due to Asiad trials and if the Worlds trials are held between August 21 and 25, he will again be forced to miss them. He is 20 now and these events were supposed to be his last junior championships," one of the coaches of the academy where Jaideep trains told this daily.
While the coach doesn't regret Jaideep's decision to skip the U-20 Asian event, he believes the junior World is important for Jaideep. "Worlds, whether it's senior or junior, is important for every wrestler. In my opinion, the trials should be held prior to the departure of the team for the Junior Worlds. In trials, the wrestlers are given a 2kg exemption for their respective weight categories but at the Worlds, no such relaxation is given. This will make trials after the U-20 Worlds difficult as recovery in two-three days is not possible," the coach added. The coach, however, felt it was not feasible to organise trials a few days before or after any international tournament.
Notably, wrestlers Priya Malik (76kg), Udit (57kg) and Jaskaran Singh (65kg) clinched a gold medal each at the U-20 Asian Championships. While Priya and Udit, who were stretchered off the mat after sustaining a serious injury, lost in the Asiad selection trials, Jaskaran skipped them as he had reached the country only a day before his bout.