Gerco Roman's desperate search for big medal

Battling an identity crisis in India, the Greco Roman style of wrestling has taken a few steps in improving its image but desperately seeks a big medal for a complete make-over.

The practitioners and coaches of the Greco Roman style, which forbids holds below the waist, do feel they are an ignored lot as freestyle wrestlers hog all the limelight.

Sushil Kumar's bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics revolutionised the sport in India, taking freestyle popularity to a new high.

"The trend is changing now because even if there is a switch, it is happening at a young age. Earlier, the wrestler would switch (from GR to FS) after 18, 20 years of age but now it has started happening from the age of 14, 15," India's National Greco Roman coach Kudeep Singh told PTI.

"Earlier, if 100 people were picking wrestling as their sport, 95 would opt for freestyle. But now the game is being promoted at school and university level, so the change has picked up pace. It's real effect will be known in next four to five years and Greco Roam style will match the popularity of Free Style," Singh added.

Singh conceded that Greco Roman wrestlers feel like poor cousins of their freestyle counterparts.

"Yes, that feeling is there. Freestyle wrestlers get more attention of the media and the fans but the WFI is taking good care of the Greco Roman athletes and keeps motivating them and us the coaches.

"And it is only in India. In European countries, Greco Roman is more popular. It depends on the country's culture. We have dangals and freestyle from the ancient times."
"If one of our Greco Roman wreslter achieves the similar feat, it will make a huge difference. Harpreet, Gurpreet and Hardeep, who competed in Olympics, are there who have it in them to do it."