Ravi Dahiya: Asian Wrestling C'ships will help prepare for Olympics

Ravi Dahiya

New Delhi: Gunning for an Olympic gold, World Championship bronze medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya says his main priority will be to stay injury-free and put up a good show at the Asian Wrestling Championships to prepare for the Tokyo Games. "I am aiming for a gold at the Olympics and the Asian Wrestling Championships will help me prepare better ahead of Tokyo. I plan to keep working hard and not be a victim of any injury," said the former U-23 World Championship silver medallist.

The Asian Wrestling Championships will be held in the national capital from February 18 to 23 and Dahiya said he is working on his leg defence ahead of the tournament. "I am practising hard on a regular basis. I am concentrating hard on basic techniques and watching videos of other wrestlers, which I believe will help me improvise and develop new strategies," said the 23-year-old Dahiya, who won a gold in the 61kg at Rome Ranking series.

"I am having some drawbacks in my leg defence and I am working especially hard in that area. I need to be stronger on my legs, which will help me defeat my opponents easily." Talking about his opponents, Dahiya said: "Iran's Reza Ahmedali Atrinagharchi will be a strong opponent to look out. Apart from Iran, Japan, Uzbekistan, and Korea will also be tough. In the Tokyo Olympics, Russia's Zavur Uguev will be a tough contender."

He is currently training in Russia under coach Murad Gaidarov. "In Russia, I am doing practice and training with better and stronger wrestlers. Each day I am fighting new wrestlers, and I am learning a thing or two every day," he said.

"Coach Murad is training me in every way possible. He is putting new challenges before me every day and it's making me stronger as a wrestler and improving my techniques."

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