Sushil Kumar Set to Take Mat as WFI Conduct World C’ship Trials

Struggling for form, Sushil Kumar will take the mat to prove his worth when the national federation conducts trials.

Indian wrestler Sushil Kumar lost his opening bout at the 2018 Asian Games.

(Photo: AP)

Struggling for form, double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar will take the mat to prove his worth when the national federation conducts trials for the Wrestling World Championship in remaining men's categories, in Delhi.

After conducting trials for six Olympic categories except for the men's 74kg, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has now decided to hold trials in the remaining non-Olympic categories on 19 August for women in Lucknow and for men on 20 August in New Delhi.

The trials in the men's 74kg were delayed due to non-availability of Praveen Rana and Jitender Kumar, who were injured.

However, Rana has still not recovered from his shoulder injury and won't be part of the trials on Tuesday.

Sushil's opponents are now expected to be Jitender and Amit Dhankar.

"Jitender is fit now and Vinod could also wrestle in this category. There are a few juniors as well who want to compete in this category. But as of now I can't say with surety, who all will be there. This we will know only when weigh-ins will be done on the day of trials," said WFI Assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.

Apart from the men's 74kg, trials will also be held in 61kg, 70kg, 79kg and 92kg.

For women, the trials will be held in 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg.

The winners will travel to Nur-Ul-Sultan, Kazakhstan for the World Championship, scheduled to be held from 14 to 22 September.