Wrestlers Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Bajrang Punia to skip senior nationals and Commonwealth championships
The Indian wrestlers who have been out of action ever since their Tokyo 2020 heroics will return to the mat next year.
India’s Tokyo Olympics medal-winning wrestlers, Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Bajrang Punia, will sit out the remainder of the year.
Consequently, the Indian duo will skip the senior national wrestling championships and the Commonwealth championships later this year.
Both Bajrang Punia and Ravi Kumar Dahiya gave the world championships, held in Norway earlier this month, a miss too.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Bajrang Punia have stayed away from the mat since their success at Tokyo 2020 due to various reasons.
While Bajrang, who clinched a bronze medal in the 65kg freestyle category, has been recuperating from a ligament injury that forced him to compete at the Summer Games with a strapped knee, Ravi Kumar Dahiya has been engaged with various felicitations following his silver medal-winning show in the freestyle 57kg division.
“My knee is fine now. I started training just two days back. I am feeling good but I won't participate in any events this year,” Bajrang Punia told PTI.
“It’s too early to say anything. I am not playing any competitive tournament this year, that's for sure. I will skip the nationals this year to remain fresh for next year. But I am yet to chalk out my plans for next year.”
The senior nationals will be held in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh from November 19-21 while the Commonwealth championships are scheduled for December 3-5 in Johannesburg, South Africa.