Mission Olympic Cell approves Bajrang’s one-month training camp in USA

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell held on Thursday, a press release stated.Mission Olympic Cell is a body set up by the Sports Authority of India to select athletes who are to get assistance under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.

Mission Olympic Cell has approved a one-month training camp in the USA for wrestler Bajrang Punia, one of India’s biggest medal hopes at the Tokyo Olympics.

Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia (in blue) during a bout with Dzhamshed Sharifov of Tajikistan during Senior Asian Wrestling Championship, at IGI Stadium, in New Delhi. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell held on Thursday, a press release stated.Mission Olympic Cell is a body set up by the Sports Authority of India to select athletes who are to get assistance under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.

The camp will take place from December 4 to January 3 at Cliff Keen Wrestling Club, Michigan, at an approximate cost of ₹14 lakhs.

Bajrang, who has been training at the SAI Sonepat centre after the resumption of training camps post the coronavirus lockdown, will travel to the USA with his coach Emzarios Bentinidis and physio Dhananjay.He will get to train with top international wrestlers under head coach, Sergei Beloglazov, who is a two-time Olympic champion.

Bajrang has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after earning a quota at the 2019 World Championships.

The World No. 2 in 65kg has preferred a stint in the USA over Individual World Cup scheduled in Serbia’s Belgrade from December 12 to 18.