‘Sushil has not kept me in loop about his training’
Chief coach says the wrestler has not communicated with him and has neither shared training regimen or fitness status
With days to go for the Asian Games, India’s wrestling chief coach, Jagminder Singh said he is completely unaware of country’s most decorated grappler Sushil Kumar’s preparation as he has not been training at the national camp.
Sushil is reportedly in the final phase of his tune-up in Georgia ahead of the Games which commence on August 18 in Jakarta and Palembang.
Jagminder, one of India’s longest serving national wrestling coaches, said Sushil has not kept him in loop about his training and therefore he cannot comment on his fitness.
“Sushil has not communicated with me for long. I’ve heard that he is training in Goergia but beyond that I don’t know anything. He has neither shared his training regimen with me nor his fitness status,” said Jagminder, who was appointed coach of the freestyle team in January 2016.
“Even his close friends are not aware of his training as he has not communicated with them. I suppose his plans are known only to the federation. The rest of the team is training with me and I have high hopes from them,” he said.
Asked if Sushil had taken permission before going to Georgia on a 10-day trip or was he aware of any fitness issues with the two-time Olympic medallist, Jagminder said, “Sushil would have taken the federation’s permission. As for his fitness, the federation would know better.”
On the speculation over Sushil’s participation at the Asian Games, Jagminder said, “There is a 10-20 per cent chance that he might not go.”
A month before the 2014 Asian Games at Incheon, Sushil had decided to skip the event as he wanted to concentrate on bagging gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
He had also skipped the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games to recover from niggles he suffered during the world championships. If he decides to skip the Games, it would be the third consecutive time he would not be competing at the Asian Games.
The only time Sushil competed at the Asian Games was in 2006 Doha where he won bronze in 66kg category.
It’s also a coincidence that on both occasions — in 2010 and 2014 —, Sushil had won the Commonwealth Games gold and then decided to skip the Asian Games, in which the level of competition is many notches higher.
MEDAL HOPES
Jagminder cited several names, such as Mausam Kharti, Sandeep Tomar, Bajrang among others as favourites, but did not name Sushil.
In fact, the federation has put two grapplers— Parveen Rana and Jitendra Kumar — on standby in the 74kg category even as Sushil trains in Georgia and the government has sanctioned funds for him under Target Olympic Podium scheme.