Sushil Kumar does India proud - into Semis now

More Happy moments for India  -  Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt achieved his Olympic dream  by clinching the bronze medal at the London Olympics 2012.  His triumph gave India its fifth medal at the 2012 Games and a reason to celebrate after their men’s hockey team endured its worst ever show at the quadrennial event finishing last among the 12 participating teams.

Recognised as one of the world’s oldest sports, Wrestling was first held at the ancient Olympics in 708 BC, and Greco-Roman Wrestling was included at the Athens 1896 Games, the first of the modern era. Played out on a circular mat, the sport is a battle of nerves, strength and skill, and should provide plenty of drama at ExCeL during London 2012.

The London 2012 Wrestling competition consists of two disciplines – Greco-Roman, where athletes use their upper bodies and arms only, and Freestyle, where athletes can use any part of their bodies.

Today, all Indians were up in support of Sushil Kumar in 66kg Freestyle.  A few seconds ago, he defeated Ikhtiyor Navruzov of Uzbec 3-1 and has now entered the Semi finals.  It is a bit complicated format as  all  wrestlers who lose against either finalist, at any stage of the competition up to and including the semi-finals, enter the repechage; the winners of the two repechage groups win bronze medals.

Now Sushil Kumar has hopes of Gold, Silver though Bronze is not a certainty at this stage.  The champion wrestler won the gold medal in the 66 kg freestyle competition at the FILA 2010 World Wrestling Championships and a bronze medal in the Men's 66kg Freestyle Wrestling event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

On July 2009, he received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna - India's highest honour for sportspersons. As one would recall Sushil Kumar was the final baton bearer who handed the Queen's Baton to Prince Charles in the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2010 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony and the flag bearer in the London Olympics for Indian contingent.

 

He hails from village Baprola in South West Delhi. Kumar's father Diwan Singh was a DTC bus driver – he is a vegetarian and is presently employed by the Indian Railways as a Assistant Commercial Manager

Wishes to him for winning Gold

With regards – S. Sampathkumar