TOPS approves wrestlers’ request: Bajrang, Vinesh to train abroad

The Sports Ministry’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) has approved star wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat’s request for training stints in Kyrgyzstan and Poland respectively.
While Bajrang requested to train in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan for 16 days, Vinesh wanted to train at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Spala, Poland for 11 days.
The financial assistance will cover athletes’ air tickets, camp expenses including the cost of training, boarding, and lodging, and miscellaneous costs such as airport transfer, insurance and internal travel, out of pocket allowance among other expenses, a press release stated. TOPS will also cover expenses for Vinesh’s sparring partner – Sangeeta Phogat and physiotherapist Ashwini Jeevan Patil and Bajrang’s coach Sujeet Maan, physiotherapist Aanand Kumar, and strength and conditioning expert Kaazi Kiron Mustafa Hasan. Meanwhile, based on the selection trials conducted by the Oversight committee for wrestling, a national coaching camp would also be held for the Indian team for participation in the upcoming Senior Asian Championship 2023.
The national camp would be held at Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Sonipat Regional Centre and would have 108 wrestlers among others.
These 108 grapplers (36 women, 33 Greco roman and 39 freestyle wrestlers) would also include men’s free-style and Greco roman wrestlers who are already training at SAI Sonepat.