India’s world championship medallists Bajrang Punia, Deepak Punia and Ravi Dhaiya will be seen in action on the 4th and final day of the UWW Ranking Series wrestling in Rome. India already has won 5 medals at the season’s first UWW ranking series event and will look to pick few more on Saturday.
Bajrang Punia good for gold in 65kg – Bajrang, a 2018 word silver medalist and 2019 world bronze-medal finisher will be the favorite to pick the gold medal in 65kg. Neither the top Russians are in Rome nor Otugoro of Japan. Bajrang’s main competition will come from Iran’s reigning world bronze medalist Behnam EHSANPOOR on his road to a potential fourth career Ranking Series gold.
Hassan Yazdani injured, Deepak Punia favourite in 86kg – India’s junior world champion and senior world silver medallist Deepak Punia will start as the top seed in the absence of Olympic and World Champion Hassan Yazdani of Iran in 86kg. Punia’s toughest competition at the weight will be 2018 world silver medalist Fatih ERDIN (TUR) and 2020 Olympian Myles AMINE (SMR).
Also Read: “I feel very good by winning gold, Asian Championship is next target” Vinesh Phogat
Ravi Dhaiya to play in 61kg – The 2019 World Championships bronze medallist Ravi Dhaiya will be seen in action in the 61kg category of the Rome Ranking series event instead of his regular category of 57kg. Dhaiya who is currently ranked number 3 in the UWW world rankings in the category decided to play in the Non-Olympic category of 61kg in Rome. It is worth noting that Dhaiya qualified for Tokyo 2020 in the 57kg freestyle. Not only this, in the recently conducted trials by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Ravi competed and won the trials in 57kg itself. But the last-minute switch to 61kg Non-Olympic category took everyone by surprise. WrestlingTV reached out to Dhaiya in Rome and he confirmed the development. “Yes it is correct I will play in 61kg here in the Rome ranking series. I don’t want to reduce my weight at the stage as my entire focus is on the Asian Championships in Delhi where I will come back to my original weight in the 57kg “ Only 4 players have entered in the 61kg including Dhaiya and two are from Kazakhstan.
Jitendar on test in 74kg – If someone will be on his biggest test tonite that will be Jitender from India. The Haryana grappler qualified for the Indian team after winning the WFI trials but still has to perform to justify his place in the Indian squad as sword in garb of Sushil Kumar is still hanging on his head. If Jitendar can perform here in 74kg category which has names like Frank Chamizo (2019 world medallist), Kyle Dake (World Champion 79kg) in the entry list he can permanently get rid of this sword and seal his place for the Olympic Qualifiers.
Watch the Indian freestyle wrestlers on test LIVE & EXCLUSIVE on WrestlingTV.in today from 3PM
LIVE Broadcasting SCHEDULE on WrestlingTV.in
Saturday (January 18)FS – 57-61-65-70-74-79-86-92kg
3:00 PM – Qualification rounds
5:30 PM – Semi-Finals
6:00 PM – Repechage Rounds
10:00 PM – Finals – FS – 57-61-65-70-74-79-86-92kg / Award ceremonies
