Deepak Punia. File.
| Photo Credit: ANI
In an enormous setback for the Indian wrestling contingent on the Asia Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek, two of the nation’s finest wrestlers, Deepak Punia and Sujeet Kalakal, will miss the continental occasion as they might not report for the weigh-in on time as their flight arrived late within the Kyrgyzstan capital owing to unhealthy weather in Dubai.
While each Punia and Sujeet ultimately managed to attain Bishkek after being stranded on the Dubai worldwide airport due to incessant rain and flooding, they might not report for the necessary weigh-in on time, in accordance to sources.
The sources added that the organisers didn’t enable late weigh-in regardless of request from the Indian coaches.
Punia (86kg), who had come shut to profitable a medal on the Tokyo Games, and Sujeet (65kg), have been on their means to Bishkek to take part within the Asia Olympic qualifiers — the second-last qualifying occasion for Paris Olympics — when a majority of the flights leaving Dubai acquired cancelled or delayed due to the flooding of the airport.
The duo, accompanied by Russian coach Kamal Malikov and physio Shubham Gupta, have been compelled to sleep on the ground and had no entry to correct meals due to the rain-induced disaster in Dubai.
“They were stuck at the Dubai airport since April 16 and it seems the chance of qualifying for Paris Olympics is slipping out of their hands as they are scheduled to compete tomorrow. They are not getting any flights to Bishkek. I am worried about them,” Dayanand Kalakal, Sujeet’s father, had advised PTI on April 18.
Punia and Sujeet have been coaching in Dagestan, Russia from April 2 to 15 and determined to fly from Makachkala to Bishkek through Dubai.
The final probability to qualify for Paris will probably be World Qualifiers in Turkey in May.
