New Delhi, Aug 25: Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya says he has decided to give the upcoming wrestling World Championship a miss since he did not get time to prepare for the selection trials that WFI is organising next week to select the Indian team.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) will conduct trials on Tuesday for the Worlds, set to be held in Oslo, Norway from October 2-10. Dahiya and other Tokyo Games medal winners have been hopping from one state to another for the numerous felicitation functions being organised in their honour.
“I don’t want to be on the mat unprepared. What’s the point in competing without enough practice. So I have to miss the World Championship because I don’t want to go to the trials without enough practice,” the soft-spoken Dahiya told PTI.
Dahiya will be the second big star missing from the Indian line-up as Bajrang Punia has also been forced out due to a knee injury.
“I will try to compete in one or two tournaments before the season ends after I begin serious training from next month,” he said. Dahiya, though, did not complain when asked if too many functions are bothering him. “How do you say ‘no’ to them? They are your own people, who want to show respect and honour you. The only thing is I get tired,” he said. He added he has been busy to the extent that he even could not spend time with his family after returning from Tokyo.
It was expected that Dahiya will compete in the 61kg category instead of his usual 57kg class at the Worlds since reducing and maintaining weight is a huge issue for the wrestlers. (PTI)
