London Olympics: Know Yogeshwar Dutt, the man who proved his mettle

Zeenews Sports Bureau

Full Name: Yogeshwar Dutt Born: 11 Decemeber 1982 (29 years) Weight: 60kg Sports: Wrestling (Freestyle) Indian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt won bronze medal in the men’s 60 kg freestyle category in his third Olympic appearance at London. Started wrestling at the age of 8, this Bhainswal Kalan, Sonipat, Haryana born wrestler competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well. Dutt came into the limelight in 1999 when he won gold at World Championship. Dutt first won a gold medal at the 2003 Commonwealth Championships and repeated the feat at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Dutt who competes in the 60 kg freestyle category overcame a personal tragedy to win gold in the 2006 Doha Games when his father died just before the bout. But the hardworking Yogeshwar Dutt overcame the emotional turmoil to prevail. Dutt lists Balraj Pehlwan, the highly acclaimed Indian wrestler as his inspiration and idol in the discipline of wrestling. During the 2008 Beijing Games, he made it to the quarters where he lost to Kenichi Yumoto of Japan 3-6. He qualified for the London Games by winning a silver medal at an Asian qualification tournament in Kazakhstan where he lost to Iranian Mahmoud Masoud Esmaeilpour Jouybari in the final. In London, Dutt defeated Jong Myong Ri of DPR Korea for the bronze medal after he had won two repechage rounds. After losing his second round match to Besik Kudukhov of Russia Dutt won two repechage rounds and then the bronze medal match. Yogeshwar Dutt defeated Masoud Esmaeilpoorjouybari of Iran 3-1 in the second repechage round to book a place in the bronze medal bout. Yogeshwar Dutt won his first repechage round against Franklin Gomez Matos of Puerto Rico 3-0.