Yogeshwar Dutt likely to miss World Championships for Asian Games

New Delhi: Exhausted after a golden performance at the Commonwealth Games, star wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt on Monday said he might skip next month`s World Championships at Tashkent to be fighting fit for the Asian Games, to be held in Incheon from September 19 to October 4.

Yogeshwar won a gold in Men`s 65kg freestyle category at the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games at Glasgow and has now set his eyes on another gold at the Asian Games. "I may not compete in the World Championships as there is just a 10-day gap between that tournament and the Asian Games. And I being prone to injuries, might not be able to recover to fight gruelling bouts at Incheon," Yogeshwar told PTI. FILA Wrestling World Championships will be held at Tashkent, Uzbekistan from September 8?14, while Asian Games will commence from 19th. Yogeshwar, who competed in a new weight category at the CWG, said he would have to practice harder for the Asian Games as the standard of competition would be tougher. "The competition at the Asian Games is going to be higher as more countries will take part and the wrestlers who would be participating there, are expected to pose bigger threat. I will have to focus more during the Asian Games," he said. The London Olympic bronze medallist, however, added that at CWG also the grapplers from Nigeria, Canada and England were difficult to beat. "The standard of the competition was good at Glasgow also. The wrestlers from Nigeria, Canada and England were very good," said Yogeshwar, who clinched a gold in 60kg category in the 2010 Delhi edition of the Games four years ago. Stating that he was satisfied with his performance at the CWG, Yogeshwar said, "I finished all my bouts within two minutes and I am very happy about that." He used his trademark `fitele` (leg-twisting) technique to great effect in all his four bouts he fought at Glasgow and Yogeshwar said it was his "favourite technique". "Fitele is my favourite technique and I try to use it in all my bouts. That is one technique which I try to use it first and it works more often than not. Also, there is no risk in this technique," he said. Yogeshwar said while he did not find it too difficult to adjust to his new weight category (65kg), in which he has competed just twice since its inception, he did admit that there is a need to increase his strength further in order to continue doing well in future as well. "I will have to practice harder for the Asian Games. I have to increase my strength further. Increasing the strength is very much needed and that would help me perform better. I have worked hard in increasing my strength but it is still not enough," the wrestler explained. Having won gold both the times he has competed in the 65kg freestyle division, Yogeshwar said, "this is my second gold in two tournaments in this new weight division. After Olympics, I took part in two major tournaments (in new category) and has done well. The CWG was my biggest event after the London Games and am happy with the way I performed." Asked if he has already set a goal for himself for the Rio Olympics 2016, Yogeshwar said, "Rio is definitely on my mind and am already preparing myself for that. But I would like to take it one step at a time. I would first concentrate and focus on the qualifying events leading up to the Olympic Games."