CHENNAI: Two-time World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat is unlikely to attend Asian Games selection trials if the ad-hoc committee decides to hold them before the deadline as has been extended by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). As per the relaxation given by the OCA, the trials to pick the wrestling team have to be conducted latest by July 22 and the final entries have to be sent the next day.
"Vinesh will leave for Budapest, Hungary to compete in the Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial Ranking Series scheduled from July 13 to 16. She will then train there before returning to the country for the selection trials," Om Prakash Dahiya, Vinesh's childhood coach, told this daily.
Notably, the foreign training camps of Vinesh and Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia have been cleared under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) by the government. Bajrang had already left the country for Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan for 36 days training camp along with his sparring partner Jitender Kinha, coach Sujeet Maan, physiotherapist Anuj Gupta and strength and conditioning expert Kaazi Hasan. Vinesh too was supposed to first head out to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan for seven days of training in the first week of July but visa issues forced her to drop the plan.
Dahiya said confidently that the deadline would be extended or two trials will be held to accommodate wrestlers, who had launched a protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) sidelined chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. "She will compete in the second trials, which will be held once they are back from foreign training camp," Dahiya said. Vinesh competes in 53kg, which is an Olympic weight category but she is scheduled to participate in the 55kg at the Hungary Ranking Series. The coach said the weight category can be changed before the draw.
Sarita may skip Ranking Series for trials
As many four Indian wrestlers including Vinesh are scheduled to compete in Hungary. Sarita Mor (59kg), freestyle wrestler Sujeet (65kg) and Greco-Roman grappler Sunil Kumar (87kg) are others from the country whose names have been sent for the event. Sarita, however, will skip the tournament if the trial is scheduled before July 25. "She will not compete if the trials are held before July 25," Rahul Maan, Sarita's husband, told this daily. Speaking on the possibility of two trials, Rahul said, "Only one trial should be held. Either you hold the trials this month or push them till next month but it should be conducted once."
The Indian Olympic Association led by its president PT Usha attended the OCA elections in Bangkok on Saturday. Although for now, the deadline to send names is July 23, the IOA is trying to get it extended till August 5. It is understood that the IOA is hopeful that the OCA will look into it once more after going back to their headquarters. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the ad-hoc committee under its member Bhupender Singh Bajwa is expected to meet at the IOA Bhawan on Monday to discuss the future course of action.