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Two-time Indian Olympic medal winner Sushil Kumar told Times of India that he is prepared to sit out of next year’s Olympics so his peer in the weight division, Narsingh Pancham Yadav can compete instead. The latter earned a spot in the sporting mega-event to be held in Rio De Janeiro by winning India’s only medal in the recently concluded World Championships in Las Vegas.
Since both of them compete in the 74 Kg category, only one will represent India in that particular division. Sushil, who was impeded from competing in the Worlds due to a shoulder injury, said that the Wrestling Federation of India would ultimately decide who will go forth amongst the two. The World Championships were the first qualifying event for the Olympics.
Sushil had the following to say about the issue: “It is the dream of every athlete to participate in the Olympics. It is their performance which matters in such Games. I have full respect for Narsingh and would be happy if the federation picks him to represent India. I am ready to sit out and cheer for him.”
The World Championships took place in Las Vegas, USA from the seventh to the twelfth of September. Twenty-six-year-old Narsingh earned India’s only medal – a bronze – by beating France’s Zelimkhan Khadjiev in the semifinal and earning an Olympic berth. The Varanasi-born grappler, who is based in Mumbai, was a last-minute replacement in the 2010 Commonwealth Games but wound up winning the gold in the 74 Kg Men’s Freestyle category.
There is a high probability that the Wrestling Federation of India will conduct trials to shortlist the strongest candidates for next year’s Summer Games. Regulations dictate that the selection of athletes is at the Federation’s discretion.
Sushil Kumar further added: “Whoever is selected by the federation to represent country in Rio must give his best. The country should come first whenever such a big decision is taken. I had opted out from important events like Asian Games as I was not completely fit and ready to contest. There is no use being a spoiler when one is not fit.”
The 2014 Commonwealth games gold-medallist stated that he is rigorously preparing for the Olympics : " I will give my best. I am working hard to represent India at Rio.” Sushil Kumar is the first and thus far, only Indian to win two back-to-back individual Olympic medals. He won a bronze in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and bettered it with a silver in the 2012 London Games.
