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Asiad: Here's why wrestlers want more time for World Championships trials

Wrestlers are making a genuine request, given repeating the painful and tedious process of weight loss could lead to injuries ahead of the big-ticket event.

Indian wrestlers, Wrestling

According to experts, the body needs at least ten days to recover from the impact of weight loss and subsequent competition.

BS Web Team New Delhi

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The miseries of wrestlers are not dying down. After the Asian Games 2023 trials, the wrestlers are now fretting over the World Wrestling Championships' trials, whose entries should be submitted to United World Wrestling by August 16.

In a letter to IOA ad-hoc panel and Sports Minister, wrestlers, who recently won the Asian Games trials, have requested not to conduct the World Championship trials before August 20. The wrestlers do not want to miss the trials, and subsequently, the World Championships given the competition will act as a qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Wrestlers are making a genuine request given repeating the painful and tedious process of weight loss could lead to injuries ahead of the big-ticket event.

Mansi Ahlawat (women's 57kg), who shocked World Championship medallist Sarita Mor in the trials on July 22, Vishal Kaliraman (men's 65kg), Aman Sehrawat (men's 57kg), Pooja Gehlot (women's 50kg), Vicky (men's 92kg), Sunil (Greco Roman 87kg ) and Narinder Cheema (Greco Roman 97kg) have all made a similar request.


The letter has also been marked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Losing weight affects our performance and health and it will increase the chance of injury. We just lost weight for Asian Games trials and now it would not be possible for us to lose weight again and compete in the trials within 10-15 days (of Asian Games trials)," the letter read.

World Championship trials expected date

The World Championship trials are expected to be held by August 10, giving the wrestlers, who competed in Asian Games selection competition, just about 17 days to be ready for another gruelling contest.

Experts take on recovery time for wrestlers

According to experts, the body needs at least ten days to recover from the impact of weight loss and subsequent competition.

"One week before and one week after the competition, a wrestler's routine is different. Weight-loss management is an altogether different kind of training. When will you work on strengthening and other aspects like mat training if you stay focussed only on weight maintenance," a coach told PTI.

"Ideally they should not do trials again and that too within such a short period," he added.

So, will the ad-hoc panel give exemptions like the Asian Games trials?

Ad-hoc panel member Gian Singh has already said that no exemption will be granted to any wrestler for the World Championship trials, which means that grapplers like Sakshi Malik, Jitender Kinha, Sangeeta Phogat and Satywart Kadian will have to appear for the competition.

All four missed the Asian Games trials as only Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat were given direct entries for the Hangzhou edition.

The non-Olympic weight categories will be open trials with all eligible candidates allowed to compete. There will be a relaxation of up to two kgs for all.

When Wrestling World Championships is scheduled to take place?

The World Championship is scheduled to be held in Belgrade, Serbia from September 16-24.

(With PTI inputs)

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First Published: Jul 27 2023 | 2:27 PM IST

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