Injury forces wrestler Sushil Kumar to withdraw from World Championships
Star wrestler Sushil Kumar has decided against participating in the World Championships due to a shoulder injury. Due to the setback, he won’t be competing in the upcoming selection trials, which are slated to be held in Delhi on July 6th and 7th.
The World Championships is a qualification tournament for the 2016 Olympics, which will be held in Rio.
The Indian Express reported that he confirmed he would not be playing in the tournament, which will be held from September 7th to 12th in Las Vegas, due to the injury he suffered while training.
“Yes, I have sustained an injury to my right shoulder while practising. So I would not be able to take part in the upcoming selection trials. So, automatically that rules me out of the first qualifying event for next year’s Rio Olympic Games,” The Indian Express reported as the two-time Olympic medallist saying.
“I have been advised by the doctors to take rest. At the moment, I don’t know exactly how long my injury will take to heal completely, but I am taking good care.”
However, missing the tournament would not mean no Sushil Kumar in the Olympics. The World Championships is just the first qualification tournament for the Olympics and there are a further 6 tournaments that could help him qualify for the Olympics.
“I am not keen to take a chance, even though the injury is not so serious. It is not good to take part in a competition half fit. I will be competing in the qualifying events next year before the Rio Olympics and I have been working hard for it,” the newspaper quoted the 32-year old in the report.
Sushil Kumar has won two Olympic medals – a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games and a silver at the 2012 London Olympics. Having won the honours in the 66kg freestyle category, Sushil has been forced to move to the 74kg division after the International Wrestling Federation changed the weight categories.
Wrestling enthusiasts were looking forward to seeing promising youngster Narsingh Pancham Yadav and veteran Sushil Kumar go head-to-head at the national selection trials in the 74kg category. But, with Sushil’s injury, the prospect of a battle between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ has been delayed, if not cancelled.
Sushil had recently taken a sabbatical to get married and his return to the mat has now been delayed further.