World medalist Rahul Aware to make comeback at Senior Wrestling National Championships
Indian wrestler and 2019 world wrestling championship bronze medalist Rahul Aware is all set to make a comeback at the senior national championships. It is scheduled to be held in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh from November 11 to 13.
The competition will be the Maharashtra-wrestler’s first competition since the 2020 Individual World Cup in Belgarde, Serbia. He finished eighth. His last medal came at the 2020 Asian Championships in New Delhi, where he won a bronze medal in the 61kg weight category.
Rahul Aware could not make it to the Tokyo Olympics despite a medal at the 2019 Worlds at 61kg. The reason for it was, Ravi Dahiya had bagged the bronze medal in 57kg division, which is an Olympic weight category unlike the 61kg.
As per the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) selection policy, a wrestler who confirms the Olympic quota represents the country at the Games.
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Rahul Aware has been training at the police academy in Pune and will be part of a long list of senior wrestlers making a comeback.
“I am excited and ready to return to top-level of wrestling. I have been training hard in Pune and working on my shortcomings,” he told Sportskeeda.
In Gonda, Rahul Aware will compete in his usual 61kg weight class. He said the focus is on returning strongly and any change in division will be made near major competitions.
“I will be competing in 61kg. I don’t plan to change my weight as of now. If needed will do it when the need arises,” he added.
Narsingh Yadav to compete in 74kg at Wrestling Nationals
Another Maharashtra wrestler and former world medalist, Narsingh Yadav, will compete in the 74kg weight class. The wrestler had moved to 79kg for the 2021 Asian Championship, where he won a bronze medal, but will return to 74kg for the wrestling nationals.
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The gold medalists will represent India at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships in Pretoria, South Africa from December 3 to 5.