Sushil Kumar's Return To World Wrestling Championships Ends In Defeat

Sushil Kumar, returning to the World Championships after eight years, lost his opening round bout to Azerbaijan's Khadzhimurad Gadzhiyev on Friday. Using all his experience, the double Olympic medallist had raced to a 9-4 lead but lost seven points in a row to lose the 74kg qualification bout. Sushil Kumar employed a four-point throw after trailing 0-2 to take the lead and further consolidated it with another four-point throw, which came from a difficult position. The Azerbaijan camp challenged the throw but lost the call, giving one additional point to Sushil for a 9-4 lead at the break.

However, the second period belonged to the junior world bronze medallist, who first pushed Sushil out and then scored of a takedown and took the lead with a gut wrench from ground position.

Time was running out but Sushil appeared tired as Gadzhiyev scored two more points with a two-point push out throw to clinch the bout.

The two-time Olympic medallist's hopes of Tokyo Olympics qualification and winning a bronze via the repechage round were also dashed after Gadzhiyev was ousted by his American opponent in the quarterfinals.

Sushil is the only Indian to have won a World title when he triumphed in 2010 in Moscow. In the non-Olympic 70kg, Karan lost his Qualification round bout 0-7 to Uzbekistan's Ikhtiyor Navruzov while Sumit Malik also went down in his opening round bout.