Pawar, Dodke in wrestling squad

Pawar, Dodke in wrestling squad
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

Pune, April 27: Junior grapplers of Pune, Govind Pawar and Yogesh Dodke received the nod to represent India at the 14th Asian Senior (Greco-Roman) Wrestling Championships scheduled at Seoul (South Korea) from May 5 to 7.

After a two-and-a-half-hour selection trial conducted by officials from the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), which included secretary VM Datta, Honorary Vice-President BS Landge and coach Randhir Singh an eight-member squad was selected at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex (Balewadi), on Wednesday.

For Govind, who is the younger brother of Arjuna Awardee Kaka Pawar, the Asian meet would be his first as a senior. Govind, selected to represent the 76kg category, had earlier donned the India colours at the World Cadet Championships in Athens (Greece) in '99 and practices at the Gokul Vastad Talim (Bhavani Peth).

Likewise, Yogesh (130kgs) who hails from Pune but practices at Sangli at Vasantdada Kusti Kendra for the last five years, the Seoul campaign would be his third overseas trip. Placed sixth at the World Junior Championships (Denmark; '99), and a participant for the same meet in South Africa the previous year, Yogesh gives credit to his gurus Dinkarrao Suryavanshi and Ram Nalawade, who are based in Sangli. Interestingly, Yogesh's father -- Laxman -- had a childhood dream of wrestling for India. However the hardships of poverty prevented him from doing so. ``I always wanted him to make the senior team,'' added an overjoyed Laxman, after the team's announcement.

Meanwhile, the camp, that originally was scheduled to end on April 30, has been terminated, with the team leaving for Seoul after regrouping at Delhi on May 3.

The team: 54 kg: Mukesh Khatri (Delhi); 58 kg: Rajender Singh (Punjab); 63 kg: Gurbinder Singh (Punjab); 69 kg: Ravinder Mann (RSCB); 76 kg: Govind Pawar (Maharashtra); 85 kg: Kuldeep Singh (SSCB); 97 kg: Krishna Kumar Yadav (RSCB); 130kg: Yogesh Dodke (Maharashtra). Coaches: Randhir Singh (SAI) and Vilas Kathure (Maharashtra).