India’s one of the most promising wrestler, Ravi Dahiya is targeting Gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Dahiya booked the Tokyo quota place at the world wrestling championships in Nur-Sultan and is now aiming for nothing but a Gold.
“Medal toh medal hi hota hai but chahna toh yehi hai ki Gold hi le aaye kyunki Gold hi bahut zyada zarurat hai desh ko” (a medal is a medal but my personal ambition is to bring home the Gold as it is what India needs the most),” Ravi told Sports Authority of India in his trademark Hariyanvi accent, with a child-like innocence but a strong determination.
Ravi will be representing India at the Tokyo 2020 in 57kg category. His main challengers in the Tokyo will be the world champion Zavur Uguev of Russia to whom Dahiya lost in the last 4 bout at Nur-Sultan. Other than Uguev current world no 1 & silver medallist at the world championships in the 57kg category Suleyman Atli of Turkey will be one of the biggest road-block for Dahiya.
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The 22-year-old, hailing from Sonipat’s Nahri village, was also included in the Sports Authority of India’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) soon after he qualified for the Olympics.
In an interview to WrestlingTV earlier this week, Dahiya said that TOPS, WFI and sponsors Tata Motors are giving his every support to achieve his goal. “WFI with the help of sponsors Tata Motors and commercial partners Sporty Solutionz has provided me with personal coach Murad who is former Olympic silver medallist. Tops is giving me all the support and all this will benefit me a lot”
When asked to reveal his training plans, he mentions, “For 20-odd days, I would like to train in some other places in India like Shilaroo (Himachal Pradesh) or even go abroad for 20-25 days. This will complement my training at the Chhatrasal Stadium which is going on pretty well.”
Ravi, along with another Olympic-bound wrestler Deepak Poonia, goes through a rigorous training regime at the Chhatrasal Stadium. They wake up at 3:30 in the morning and start their practice session from 4.
“I get free after training at 8am and have some badaam (nuts) and juice as well as fruits later. Then we rest for 2-3 hours and start training again in the afternoon non-stop from 4 till 7.30,” says Ravi, who does make it a point to get at least 8 hours of sleep a day.
On a parting note, the 22-year-old champion reveals the benchmark he has set for himself is tough to achieve, but is achievable and he will try his best to fulfill his and the entire country’s dreams by winning gold at Tokyo 2020.
