New Delhi, June 27 (IANS) Tokyo Olympics silver medallist wrestler Ravi Dahiya has decided to move up in the weight category to improve his chances of prolonging his career and aim for a medal in the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.

In the latest episode of the House of Glory podcast, an initiative by the Gagan Narang Sports Foundation, Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya explained the rationale behind his decision to change his weight category.

“I won’t be continuing in the 57kg weight category as, with age, it becomes a very troublesome weight, and I thus have decided to go higher up in my weight,” said Dahiya, who also opened up about his sporting journey and plans in wrestling.

While the next Olympic weight category for the LA Olympics 2028 is 65kg, 28-year-old Dahiya has been in and out of competitions in the past few years due to injuries and has been competing in the non-Olympic 61kg weight category.

In the podcast, Ravi also spoke about his early days of wrestling, his father’s sacrifices, and his admiration for Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi.

Crediting his father for introducing him to wrestling, Ravi recounted his journey from a small mud akhara to becoming an Olympic medallist.

“It was my father who was very fond of wrestling in my family. There used to be a small mud akhara near the fields where he used to do farming, and I used to go and play there when I was really young. It was there that I started wrestling, and initially, it was just for fun, without any intention of taking it up as a profession. My father was really fond of it, and it was only because of him that I got into this game today,” Dahiya said.

He then went on to talk about his father’s dedication and added, “Compared to my parents’ sacrifice, I have sacrificed nothing in my life. Our village is 30-35 km away from Chhatrasal Stadium, which is around 70-75 km both ways. My father has been coming here daily in the morning with our dietary needs and continues to do so today. Coming for one or two days is different, but he has been continuously coming here for nearly 20 years now (since 2007), whether it’s sunny or raining heavily, and that is dedication and sacrifice that motivated me to win international medals.”

The podcast also touched on Dahiya’s relationship with Aman Sehrawat, saying, “In any sport, people might be rivals on the mat, but outside, we are all humans, and it has always been like that. Aman is like a brother to me, and that’s always been the case.”

–IANS

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