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'Emerging wrestlers can take inspiration from our medals'
He might not be competing in the ongoing world championships but London Olympics bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt feels that the recent success of Indian grapplers is a result of a change in their mentality.
Yogeshwar said Indian wrestlers are now hungry for success and are not just contend in participating in big events.
"These young wrestlers have performed brilliantly and credit goes to the significant change in their attitude. Now they want to win medals in Olympics, World Championships while earlier they used to get satisfied with just taking part in major tournaments," Yogeshwar, who is watching the young Indian freestyle wrestlers from the sidelines at Budapest, Hungary said.
Confidence to win major tournaments
While Amit Kumar (55kg) and Bajrang (60kg) won silver and bronze medal respectively, another youngster Narsingh Yadav missed out a bronze medal on Wednesday.
He also said the medals won by him and Sushil Kumar in Olympics have played a major role in this promising change.
"We did not have anybody to look upto while the emerging wrestlers can take inspiration from our medals. They have the confidence to win major tournaments and it was evident in world championship," said Yogeshwar, who is yet to recover from a knee injury.
"I hope that we will win more medals in 2016 and 2020 Olympic games. There is a crop of young, talented wrestlers who will be Olympic medal hopes and will carry forward the legacy after me and Sushil," the 30-year-old said.
"Amit and Bajrang can be medal hopes in 2016 Rio Olympics and Bajrang can play 2020 Olympic also as he is very young now. We have to groom him for that," he added.
Eyeing a return
Battling a spate of injuries, Yogeshwar said he is eyeing a return to the mat in November.
“I will begin with a lighter tournament as I don't want to go through a hard test in my comeback. It will affect my knee. I will play a smaller tournament in November. My target is next Olympics," said the wrestler, who will start training in Police Academy in Madhuban, Karnal from next week.