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The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has chalked up a road map for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. According to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, president of WFI, the future plan is to have at least six wrestlers in each of the Olympic weight categories, in both men's and women’s groups.
“The bigger the domestic pool of players the better,” Singh told Sportskeeda here on Friday.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, held last year in Japan, the WFI target was to win a minimum of three medals. The Indian wrestling contingent, however, returned with only two freestyle medals. Bajrang Punia won bronze in 65kg and Ravi Dahiya won silver in the 57kg.
According to the WFI president, he is looking ahead to exciting contests during the upcoming national wrestling championships. The tournament is scheduled to start on December 21, in Visakhapatnam, as the process to groom young wrestlers.
A series of ranking tournaments have enabled the federation to scout young talent. The WFI is keen to build up bench strength in the following five Olympic weight categories in the men’s freestyle: 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, and 97kg. The focus in the women’s group will be on all six of the Olympic weight divisions, including 68kg and 76kg.
“The elite wrestlers, including Tokyo Olympic Games medal winners Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya, will face stiff challenge in Visakhapatnam,” the WFI president said.
National meet mandatory
WFI has made it mandatory for all top wrestlers to compete in the upcoming domestic tournament in Visakhapatnam.
“Wrestlers not competing in the national championships will not be selected for the camp. Only medal winners in each of the weight categories will be eligible for the national coaching camp starting January,” the WFI president added. “There has to be a genuine reason for skipping the national championships. Otherwise, strict action will be taken.”
The top four medal winners at the national championships will be shortlisted for the national camp. The WFI is also planning to include the top four wrestlers in the ranking tournaments.
The WFI president also revealed that the federation will not appoint foreign coaches to prepare the national team for the Paris Olympic Games.
“We are happy with the current coaching setup. In the recent past, we have won medals at the international level without foreign experts. So, we will continue with the same system.”
Injury issue
Olympian Sonam Malik is one of the elite female wrestlers recovering from an injury. She skipped the Haryana state competition as she was convalescing after an injury. However, to compete in the national championships, she will have to compete in state trials against the winner of the women’s 62kg bout.
World Wrestling Championships silver medallist Anshu Malik is also recovering from elbow surgery and could miss the upcoming national championships.
Two-time Olympian and World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat is expected to compete at the National Wrestling Championships. She recently went to Europe for altitude training and will be the one to watch.
It will be interesting to keep track of how many top wrestlers skip the national championships as December 11 is the deadline for entries.
