 "Asian Games: Olympic medalist Ravi Dahiya loses in trials to Atish Todakr")
A big upset occured at the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) trials for the upcoming Asian Games as Olympic silver medalist Ravi Dahiya lost his first round bout and crashed out of the selections. Competing in the trials of the Freestyle 57-kg category, Dahiya was beaten by Maharashtra’s Atish Todakr by fall, which is the worst ways to lose a wrestling match. Dahiya was already trailing 8-20 before being pinned by his Marathi opponent.
After the loss, it was confirmed that the Olympic and World Championship medalist took the mat before being cleared of his medical conditions. Dahiya, 25, suffered from ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) and MCL (Medical Collateral Ligament) injuries. He was part of the initial Wrestler’s protest in January this year but distanced himself from it later.
The Commonwealth Games gold medalist did not participate in any event since his sixth-place finish in the World Wrestling Championships 2022. He missed out even on the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 held in April this year.
Who is Atish Todakar who beat Ravi Dahiya?
Atish Todakar is an unheralded wrestler in the Indian wrestling community. Todkar won gold at the Under-20 National Wrestling Championship held at Patna, Bihar in March 2022 and the 1st WFI Grand Prix Under – 20 Tournament held at Gonda, Uttar Pradesh in October 2022.
Also Read
But the boy from Beed, Maharashtra first came to the limelight after winning bronze at the Junior Men Free Style National Championship held at Noida, Uttar Pradesh in April 2021.
Todakar won the Maharashtra Keshri in 2023 in the 57-kg category and thus received the call-up to the selection trials conducted by the Oversight Committee for Wrestling in March 2023. After being successful in the trials, he was selected among 108 wrestlers for the national coaching camp for the Senior Asian Championship 2023.The National Camp was held at the Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Sonipat Regional Centre.
Aman Sehrawat and not Todakar will be representing India at Asian Games 2023
Even after beating the Olympic silver medalist, Todakar won't be going to the Asian Games. In fact, he won’t even make it to the reserve list as he lost to Rahul of Delhi 0-10 in the semi-final, who in turn lost to the eventual champion of the trials Aman Sehrawat.
Sehrawat, a fanboy of Dahiya, hails from the same Chhatrasal Academy where the Olympic, Asian, World and Commonwealth Games medalist wrestler trained in Delhi. Aman 19, was crowned Asian Champion in April this year as he represented India in the event in the absence of Dahiya who was recovering from his injuries. The Haryana boy beat Rahul 9-2 in the final of the trials for the Freestyle 57-KG category.
Complete list of Indian wrestlers qualifying for the Asian Games 2023
Greco-Roman
Gyanender - 60kg
Neeraj - 67kg
Vikash - 77kg
Sunil Kumar - 87kg
Narinder Cheema - 97kg
Naveen - 130kg
Women’s freestyle
Pooja Gehlot - 50kg
Vinesh Phogat - 53kg (Antim Panghal as standby)
Mansi Ahlawat - 57kg
Sonam Malik - 62kg
Radhika - 68kg
Kiran - 76kg
Men’s freestyle
Aman Sehrawat- 57kg
Bajrang Punia - 65kg (Vishal Kaliraman as Standby)
Yash - 74kg
Deepak Punia - 86kg
Vicky - 97kg
Sumit- 125kg