Heaping praise on fellow wrestler Narsingh Yadav for earning an Olympic quota place for India, star grappler Sushil Kumar on Friday said that he does not see any controversy over who gets to represent the country at the Rio Games later this year.
Yadav has already earned an Olympic quota place for India in Men’s 74kg freestyle by winning a bronze medal at the World Championships last year in Las Vegas and Sushil, who won a medal each in the Beijing and London Games, will have to face him in a trial to decide who goes to Rio.
Sushil said whoever represents the country in the Olympics should do well and he was ready for the trials.
“Narsingh has done a great job by earning a quota place for the country. What he has done is a big thing and good for the country,” Sushil said at the sidelines of an event organised by Fanatic Sports to launch the sale of Rio Olympics tickets in India.
“The (Wrestling) federation will hold a trial to decide who goes to Rio Games between the two of us. I see no controversy in that and I am prepared for that. Whosoever represents India should do well for the country,” the star wrestler, who has been dogged by injuries after winning a silver at the 2012 London Olympics, said.
Sushil, who also won a bronze in 2008 Beijing Olympics, said that he was not nervous of the uncertainty over his participation and he would give his 100 per cent if he represents the country in Rio.
“I am not nervous and there is no pressure at all on me. I am in this sport for a long time. I qualified at the last moment for 2012 Olympics and won a silver, though I qualified a bit early in 2004 and 2008. So, there is no question of being nervous or not,” he said.
“Now, I am at the camp at Sonepat and am fully fit. I am on my routine things at the camp now and my coaches and the federation will decide on the plan regarding the preparation for Rio Olympics. I am still enjoying my sport and that is the most important thing,” said the 32 year-old.
Sushil had gone to Georgia for a three-week training stint there. After that he got injured and he did not take part in the inaugural Pro Wrestling League in December last year.
Meanwhile, Indian women’s hockey team captain Ritu Rani said that qualifying for the first time in the Olympics after 36 years was an achievement in itself and her side would look to at least finish in the top six.
“We worked really hard to qualify for the Olympics and qualification itself is a big achievement. I have been playing for the last 10 years and am taking part in the Olympics for the first time,” she said.
“The first match will be very important. If we do well in the first match, I feel we can do well in the Olympics. We want to be in top six at least.”
Rani also said that the team was feeling better with the return of Neil Hawgood as head coach after briefly leaving the side.
“He (Hawgood) was our coach earlier and we are feeling good with his return. We want to do well in the Olympics and I am hoping that we get around 20 matches before the Olympics,” she said.
Rani said the women’s team would be looking to improve its performance just like the men’s counterparts.
“They (men’s side) are doing well and they have improved in rankings. We also want to do better like them.”
Indian Olympic Association president N. Ramachandran wished both Sushil and Rani to do well in Rio Olympics.
“For IOA, athletes come first and I am sure Sushil and Rani will do the honours for the country and will bring the gold we are eagerly waiting for,” he said.
IOA Secretary General Rajiv Mehta said that the preparations of the Indian athletes were going on well and the country can hope for more medals than the six won at the 2012 London Olympics.
