While Sushil Kumar has tasted success at the Beijing Games in 2008, his long-time friend and fellow grappler, Yogeshwar Dutt, and youngsters Narsingh Pancham Yadav and Amit Kumar see London as an opportunity to realise their unfulfilled dreams.
"I lost my quarter-final bout in Beijing by a narrow margin, that pain is still there so I do not want to let go this chance easily," said Yogeshwar, who conceded that this may well be his last Olympic appearance.
The 29-year-old grappler from Haryana, however, said that his preparations were going on well and he was confident of a good show.
"The camp in Colorado Springs was very effective. We got a chance to analyse our game and test our skills against some of the best wrestlers. The coaches made us to work on our grey areas. If not everything it has made us confident that we can compete and get the desired results at the Olympics," the 60kg freestyle wrestler said on the sidelines of a send-off function organised by the Wrestling Federation of India here today.
Sushil, on whose sturdy shoulders rests a more than million hopes, said he doesn't want to think about the medal and just wants to give his best on the mat.
"If I will think about the medal, I won't be able to concentrate on my game," said Sushil, a view that his mentor and coach Satpal Singh endorsed.
"Sushil is an emotional guy and I am really worried with the kind of pressure that is being build around him for getting a gold in the Olympics, but I get solace from his calm and composed demeanor," Satpal said. MORE
