Indian wrestlers will get exposed to the new two-day format when they compete in the Asian championships to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from February 28.
Even though United World wrestling, the world governing body for the sport, announced the change in format and weight categories in March last year and applied the changes from January 1 this year, the top Indian wrestlers hardly had an opportunity to get used to the new rules.
It will be interesting to see how the Indian wrestlers adapt to the two-day format — which will require the wrestlers to weigh-in on the morning of their competition with a two-kg allowance for the next day (when they will fight the semifinals and finals). Till 2017, the wrestlers used to weigh-in on the day before their competition and finish all the bouts in one day.
According to internationally-acclaimed coach Yashvir Singh the new format will reduce the load. “Since the competition is now split into two days, a wrestler does not have to fight five-six bouts in one day. The load is much lesser now and the fatigue will be less,” said Yashvir.
Yashvir says the format and the new weight classes will make the wrestlers switch to new weights.
“It is difficult to reduce weight drastically and land on the mat the same day as there is no time for recovery. Those who used to reduce four-five kg a day before the competition would now settle for weights closer to their own body weights. “However, this will have no impact on those whose body weight stays around their weight categories.”
International wrestler-turned-coach Kripa Shankar Patel Bishnoi pointed out that several wrestlers had already moved to new weights because of the new format.