Asian Games trials winners demand more time before World C'ships trials

The trial winner wrestlers, who won the Asian Games trials, have requested the IOA ad-hoc panel and the Sports Ministry to not conduct the World Championship trials before August 20 citing the tedious process of weight loss and grueling matches during the trials.

The wrestlers have written a letter to IOA ad-hoc Panel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mansi Ahlawat (women's 57kg), 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) are the wrestlers making the request.

The delay in announcing the trial dates and criteria for the Asian Games has kept the wrestlers in a tight spot and also allowed them very few days to recover before the World Championships trials.

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

"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.

The last date to send entries to the world governing body UWW is August 16.

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 in the competition.

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

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

The non-Olympic weight categories in the men's freestyle are 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, and 92kg, while they are 55kg, 59kg, 65kg, and 72kg in women's wrestling. In the Greco-Roman style, the categories are 55kg, 63kg, 72kg, and 82kg.

For the six Olympic weight categories in each of the three styles, it is likely to be a competition among five wrestlers in each category, including the top-4 finishers from the Asian Games trials and one from six protesting wrestlers.

The panel is yet to announce a final date and criteria for the World Championship trials.