London: Indian grapplers will join the Olympic action from Thursday, hoping to provide the late sparks to the contingent’s campaign, which has so far not really lived upto expectations with the flop show of many serious medal contenders.
India had won a bronze in the Beijing Olympics Games through Sushil Kumar and will aim to increase the tally when the freestyle competitions get underway.
All eyes will be on Sushil again as he spearheads the Indian challenge in the 66kg category, but with stiff competition expected from other wrestlers, it remains to be seen whether he can repeat his Beijing feat and thus become the first Indian to win back-to-back medals.
India has fielded a record five wrestlers for the Olympics and Yogeshwar Dutt (60kg) is also being talked about as a medal prospect. Narsingh Yadav (74kg), Amit Dahiya (74kg) and Geeta Phogat (55kg) are the other grapplers in the fray.
Yogeswhar narrowly missed out on reaching the semifinals in Beijing and is determined to make amends.
“If I would have won a medal in Beijing, I probably would not have competed in the London Games,” said Yogeshwar, who suffered a career-threatening knee injury just after the 2008 edition.
He described London as the inspiration needed to make a comeback.
Clearly, though, it will be Sushil who will carry the burden of a billion hopes on his shoulders. But many of the established Indian stars have failed in these Games, so Sushil has to guard against complacency.
Coming to the younger lot, Amit Kumar’s advent to the senior level has been fantastic, but his lack of experience at the big stage may turn out to be his nemesis.
Amit surprised one and all with his performance in the Asian Qualifiers by clinching a gold in the 55kg freestyle but he knows that London won’t be a cakewalk.
Narsingh has been around for some time now and knows all the tricks of the trade, but like Amit, he is also participating in his debut Olympics.
In the women’s category, the lone Indian to make the cut for the marquee event, Geeta Phogat (55kg), has a tough challenge at hand. And if she gets a top-eight seeding she might even finish on the podium.
“Geeta has the ability to surprise and cause a few upsets and if she gets a place in the top eight then certainly I can say that she will be a step closer to the medal,” women’s chief coach O P Yadav said. (PTI)