SAI sanctions Rs 1.28 crore for participation of 30 wrestlers at Senior Asian Championship

Sports Authority of India has sanctioned Rs 1.28 crore for the participation of 30 wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia, at the Senior Asian Championship beginning in Mongolia on Tuesday. A total of 20 wrestlers from the men's team across the Freestyle and Greco-Roman categories and 10 from the women's team will participate at the event, which is an exposure competition ahead of the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.

"The tour has been sanctioned at cost to the Government for a tune of an overall of Rs 1.28 Crore for both teams," SAI said in a release on Monday. Tokyo Olympian Anshu Malik said she is looking forward to the tournament in Mongolia.

"I have been a part of various international camps and I'm happy to get all these world-class facilities at the SAI national centre of excellence on Lucknow," said Anshu. "I thank the Wrestling Federation of India too for setting up the camp here ahead of the Sr Asian Championship and the CWG and Asian Games this year.

"Me and my teammates are looking forward to the best performance from the upcoming tournaments." While the women's team has been a part of the SAI Lucknow training centre, the male wrestlers have been part of the SAI regional centre, Sonepat ahead of the Senior Asian Championship. List of participants:Men's team: Freestyle - Ravi Dahiya, Mangal Kadiyan, Bajrang Punia, Naveen, Yash, Gourav Baliyan, Deepak Punia, Viky, Satyawart Kadiyan, Anirudh Kumar; Greco-Roman - Arjun Halakurki, Gyanender, Neeraj, Sachin Sehrawat, Vikas, Sajan, Harpreet Singh, Sunil Kumar, Ravi, Prem.

Women's team: Manisha, Swati Shinde, Sushma Shokeen, Anshu Malik, Sarita Mor, Manisha, Radhika, Sonika Hooda, Nikki, Sudesh.