Commonwealth Games 2014: Sushil Kumar predicts India’s domination after three golds in wrestling
Star grappler feels that India will win more medals in Glasgow CWG in coming days
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-07-29 23:49 GMT
Glasgow: Star grappler Sushil Kumar says the gold medal bout against Pakistan's Qamar Abbas was a cake walk for him and he predicted India's further domination in wrestling arena at the ongoing Commonwealth Games. Abbas could not endure Sushil even for the full first three-minute period in the 74kg freestyle bout.
"It was an easy final bout for me and I feel happy to have added another gold in the Commonwealth Games," Sushil, who had won his first CWG gold at the 2010 Delhi edition in the 66kg category, said after his bout.
"I feel proud that we (wrestlers) are doing very well in the Games here. Our wrestling team has Olympic medallist and medallist in other top international events and we will get more medals in the Glasgow CWG in the coming days," said Sushil, who won a bronze in 66kg in 2008 Beijing Olympics and a silver in 2012 London Olympics, said.
Sushil was competing under the new weight class of 74kg for the second time after the world body had re-jigged weight categories ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He had won a silver at the International Freestyle Championship in Sassari, Italy before the Glasgow Games.
He said he did not face any problems while competing in the new category. "I had no problem which shifting to the new weight category. Today I did not have any problems in any bout today." Sushil's opponent in the final Abbas said he was satisfied with the silver. "I am content with it. I was fasting throughout training and I couldn't give up fasting (due to Ramazan)for this so I wasn't at my best," said Abbas.
Another Indian gold medallist wrestler Amit Kumar, who won the yellow metal in 57kg category said his target now is the 2016 Rio Olympics. "I've won gold and I feel really good. It's my first Commonwealth Games. I am definitely aiming for the Rio 2016 Olympics," he said. Asked about the techniques he used in the final bout against Ebikweminomo Welson of Nigeria, he said, "I wanted him to attack so that I could get him on the counter. All of the points I got were on the counter."
Women wrestler Vinesh, who won gold in 48kg freestyle, said that she was happy to have brought laurels for the country. "I've won gold and I feel really good. It's my first
Commonwealth Games," she said. "I come from a family of wrestlers and they have really supported me. I also feel proud for them."
Rajeev Tomar, however, had to settle for a silver in the men's 125 kg freestyle event after going down to Canada's Korey Jarvis 0-3 in the finals.