Wrestler Sushil Kumar appointed head coach of Railways team

Ace wrestler and Olympic silver medallist Sushil Kumar has been appointed the coach of the Railways team with an aim to increase the number of medal contenders for the Olympics.

Kumar became the first Indian to win individual medals at back-to-back Olympics. He won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games and had to settle for silver at London.

Although, still an active wrestler and considered a medal prospect for the 2016 Rio Games, Sushil Kumar has stepped into coaching shoes to build a formidable Indian wrestling team.

Sushil Kumar. Photo: Santosh Nagwekar

"As we learned from our coaches and teachers and won medals for the country, we will try to attempt the same thing here. We will try to train Indian athletes and rail athletes so that they can win medals at Asian Games and Olympics for the country," said Sushil Kumar on Tuesday.

The officials at the Indian railways said that they were delighted that the reins of their wrestling team are in the hands of Sushil Kumar.

"Under the guidance of Sushil Kumar, all wrestlers of the Indian railways would be trained, so that in the next Olympics, Asian Games or the Commonwealth Games, the medals tally in this sporting event increases. And also create an environment so that we can this academy continues to function smoothly," said A K Vohra, Member of the Railway Board.

Kumar is the second Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal after K D Jadhav. He had earlier won the bronze at Beijing 2008. Jadhav had won India''s first individual Olympic medal by winning a bronze at the 1952 Helsinki Games.

Kumar then won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. He was also the flag bearer for the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of these London Games.u00a0