CHENNAI: Dayanand Kalkal, 65kg freestyle wrestler Sujeet’s father, spent around Rs 75,000 on challenging the exemption given to Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat from the Asian Games selection trials. The Delhi High Court dismissed their writ petition on Saturday upholding the panel’s decision to give direct entry to Bajrang and Vinesh in the 65kg and 53kg weight categories respectively.
As the financial loss was not enough, Sujeet suffered yet another setback in the selection trials on Sunday after he was beaten by Services wrestler Rohit Guliya in the quarterfinals. The only solace for Sujeet and his father was the fact that the wrestler managed to finish third thus making him eligible for the World Championships trials scheduled next month.
“We are not moving the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order. I don’t think, we will get relief from the Apex Court. I have already paid around Rs 75000 as fees and that is a considerable amount for a retired Army personnel. The good thing is that Sujeet managed to qualify for the Worlds trials. The court battle is over but the fight on the mat will continue,” Dayanand said.
Vishal Kaliraman from the iconic Chhatrasal Stadium finished first in the trials in the 65kg weight category. Given the ad-hoc body’s decision, he will now be a standby for Bajrang in the Asian Games.
Meanwhile, the second and the last day of the trials began with the biggest upset as the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ravi Dahiya was pinned by his opponent from Maharashtra Atish Todkar in his first bout of the 57kg.
Ravi seemed to be nursing an injury in the right knee and that was visible from his show on the mat. Earlier, sources claimed that Ravi was also offered a direct qualification for the Asiad but he turned down the offer and opted for trials. Ravi didn’t finish in top-4 thus casting a serious doubt over his participation in the Worlds trials. Aman Sehrawat won the trials.
Deepak Punia, the 2019 Worlds silver medallist and the Tokyo Olympian, however, emerged winner in 86kg to make it to the team.
Men’s freestyle winners 57kg: 1st Aman, 2nd Rahul
65kg: 1st Vishal Kaliraman, 2nd Rohit
74kg: 1st Yash, 2nd Naveen
86kg: 1st Deepak Punia, 2nd Johnty Kumar
97kg: 1st Vicky, 2nd Gourav Baliyan
125kg: 1st Sumit, 2nd Ashish
