With Asian Games on the horizon, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sushil Kumar to skip World Championships

Yogeshwar Dutt (L) and Sushil Kumar

New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS): With the Asian Games in mind, India's champion wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt have decided to skip the World Championships to be held in Tashkent, from September 4 to 18.

The duo's coach Yashvir Singh told IANS that the decision was taken to keep them fresh for the Incheon Asian Games.

"This time the Asian Games will start 10 days after the World Championships. So there is not much time for them to recover and then gear up for another big game. We want to give them adequate rest for the Asian Games. Last time also they had missed the Asian Games after the Delhi Commonwealth Games," said Yashvir.

Besides Sushil and Yogeshwar, Amit Kumar Dahiya and Babita Kumari, who won a gold each in Glasgow, will also skip the World Championships.

The top wrestlers will now be sent for a month's training-cum-exposure tour to Belarus from August 22.