Junior Asian Wrestling Champion Ravi Kumar will spearhead an eight-member Indian freestyle team at the Junior World Championships to be held in Salvador Da Bahia, Brazil, from Tuesday.
There are high expectations also from Praveen, who was the only medal winner (bronze), in last year's tournament in Zagreb. Out of the eight, seven won medals in the Junior Asian Wrestling Championship in Myanmar last month.
"The preparations of our freestyle team for the Junior World Championships started well in advance and they have shown brilliant performances in the Junior Asian Championships in Myanmar, winning seven medals," Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said.
"After returning home from Myanmar, our team had a month long camp wherein coaches worked hard with the players on improving their techniques. I am hopeful that our freestyle team will improve their medal tally this time."
The contingent: Bharat Patil (50 kg), Ravi Kumar (55 kg), Amit (60 kg), Vikas (66 kg), Dinesh (74 kg), Praveen (84 kg), Rubal Jeet Singh (96 kg), Dushyant (120 kg).