Sify, India
Aug 22 2004

Khatri to kickstart Indian campaign in wrestling

Sunday, 22 August , 2004, 16:11

Athens: Mukesh Khatri, who fought against all odds for his debut
Olympic berth, will kickstart India’s campaign in wrestling in the
55kg Greco-Roman category bout here on Tuesday, after the weigh-in on
Monday.
He would be hoping for a favourable draw to make a mark in the
category, which has in fray top grapplers, including World Champion
Dariusz Jablonski of Poland, Marian Sandu of Romania, Uran Kalilov of
Kyrgyzstan and Hakan Nyblom of Denmark.

Khatri, who had prepared for this arduous campaign in June-July in
Colorado Springs in the United States with top coaches and former
Olympic champions, is a confident youngster with his polished
technique and positive attitude.

“I have followed a stringent routine with former Olympic champions
and top wrestling coaches in the US and am very positive towards my
performance in the Olymics,” the 22-year-old Khatri told PTI.

Khatri is desperate to justify his training which he pursued defying
the Wrestling Federation of India’s schedule. He had also insisted
that his personal coach Ramphal Thakran accompany him to Athens,
instead of chief coach Gian Singh and succeeded in doing so.

“I have trained with this coach (Thakran) since my childhood and his
presence will inspire me during the main event,” said Khatri, the
lone Indian entry in Greco-Roman, which does not allow the matmen to
grapple with their opponents by holding them below the waist.

“I am now anxiously waiting for my bout which is in the lowest weight
category and Asians are doing well in it,” he said. In the freestyle,
India will have representation in all but one category after a gap of
over a decade.

The freestyle team arrived here after warming up in Sophia, Bulgaria
and is geared up for the formidable task ahead of them. Indian hopes
will rest mainly on Sushil Kumar (60 kg), who finished fourth in the
World championships in New York last year. He would have to fight out
of his skin to climb the podium in the 60-kg division, which is
expected to be dominated by fighters from the erstwhile Soviet Union
and Iran.

According to India’s chief coach Jagmander Singh, the young grappler
has worked hard on correcting his weaknesses and has a better
footwork and grip now.

But, he needs to make an extra effort if has to come home with a
medal from a weight category which has strong contenders in World
champion Arif Adbullayev of Azerbaijan, Leonid Spiridonov of
Kazakhstan, champion at the first qualifier, Shirayr Hovhannisyan of
Armenia, the second qualifier winner, Li Quan of China and
Bararmagnai of Mongolia. A favourable draw could enhance his chances.

One other freestyle hopeful Yogeshwar Dutt has the credentials to do
well, having beaten Koreas Kim Hyo Sub, the World Military Wrestling
Champion, to clinch the gold in the 55kg class final of Asian
freestyle qualifying event in Sophia, Bulgaria.

Indian standards, by and far, have improved over the last few years
after a perceptible decline in the 1990s and it has resulted in the
matmen making their presence felt at the Asian and world level. But,
Olympics is certainly a different kettle of fish.