Tokyo Olympian Anshu Malik is looking forward to the Senior Asian Championships in Mongolia, starting April 19, as a much-needed exposure competition ahead of Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. A total of 20 wrestlers from the men’s team across the Freestyle and Greco-Roman categories and ten from the women’s team will compete at the event.

The tour has been sanctioned at cost to the Government to the of an overall of Rs 1.28 Crore for both teams. The competition in Mongolia is seen as a good exposure competition ahead of the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, scheduled later this year. Tokyo 2020 medalists Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia, among others, will also be competing in Mongolia.

“I have been a part of various international camps and I’m happy to get all these world-class facilities at the SAI national centre of excellence on Lucknow,” said Anshu. “I thank the Wrestling Federation of India too for setting up the camp here ahead of the Sr. Asian Championship and the CWG and Asian Games this year.

“Me and my teammates are looking forward to the best of performance from the upcoming tournaments,” added Anshu.

While the women’s team has been a part of the SAI Lucknow training centre, the men’s wrestlers have been a part of the SAI regional centre Sonepat ahead of the Sr Asian Championship.

List of participants:

Men’s team: Freestyle – Ravi Dahiya, Mangal Kadiyan, Bajrang Punia, Naveen, Yash, Gourav Baliyan, Deepak Punia, Viky, Satyawart Kadiyan, Anirudh Kumar; Greco-Roman – Arjun Halakurki, Gyanender, Neeraj, Sachin Sehrawat, Vikas, Sajan, Harpreet Singh, Sunil Kumar, Ravi, Prem.

Women’s team: Manisha, Swati Shinde, Sushma Shokeen, Anshu Malik, Sarita Mor, Manisha, Radhika, Sonika Hooda, Nikki, Sudesh.

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NB/OA