Sushil Kumar, lodged in Tihar jail, turns emotional as Ravi Dahiya loses wrestling final

Wrestler Sushil Kumar, who is currently lodged at Delhi’s Tihar jail in a murder case, turned emotional on Thursday as he watched Ravi Dahiya lose the men’s freestyle 57kg title clash 4-7 to reigning world champion Zavur Uguev at the Olympic Games. Dahiya, however, won silver, etching his name on record books as he became the fifth Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal.

Sushil Kumar is the only other Indian wrestler to have made the final at Olympics. He had won a silver at the 2012 London Games, where Yogeshwar Dutt also won a bronze. Sushil had won a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games.

There were expectations that the 23-year Dahiya would become India’s youngest Olympic champion but the Russian defended well to win comfortably.

According to Tihar sources, Sushil Kumar had been sitting near the television set since afternoon, waiting to watch the crucial match. 

On July 2, Kumar had urged prison authorities to provide him a television to remain updated about wrestling matches and other happenings outside the jail. The request was granted, as the prison authorities allowed him to watch television in the common area of his ward. 

READ MORE: Ravi Dahiya makes history, wins India’s first Olympic wrestling silver after nine years

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