CHENNAI: Tokyo bronze medallist Bajrang Punia had been in the forefront of a massive protest against former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh last year. Missing most of the season last year, he failed to medal at the Asian Games despite getting a direct entry in 65kg. To add to his woes, on Sunday, he failed to secure a place in the India squad for the Asian Championships and Asian Olympic Games qualifiers to be held next month.
Joining him is another Tokyo silver medallist Ravi Dahiya, who had been nursing injuries for quite some time.
The trials at SAI Centre in Sonepat were held jointly by the WFI and ad-hoc committee after United World Wrestling said it would accept entries only by WFI. The Asian championships and qualifier next month will be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Gold medallists from six Olympic weight categories each in men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman will represent the country at the qualifying event. The women’s trials are scheduled at SAI Centre in Patiala on Monday.
Even as the loss was second consecutive selection trial loss for Ravi in the last nine months, it was Bajrang’s defeat that garnered attention. He was given a direct entry for the Asian Games by the ad-hoc committee headed by Bhupinder Singh Bajwa last year. Call it poetic, aggrieved wrestler Sujeet Kalkal, who moved the Delhi HC against Bajrang’s direct entry unsuccesfully, found a place in the squad. Bajrang, who had a tough first bout too, didn’t compete in the bronze play-off.
India team for Asian qualifiers
57kg Aman Sherawat
65kg Sujeet Kalkal
74kg Jaideep
86kg Deepak Punia
97kg Deepak Nehra
125kg Sumit Malik
