 Rattigan finished seventh in last year's European Championship |
Wrestling returns to the Commonwealth Games schedule in Delhi after being left out in 2006 by organisers for Melbourne. There will be a women's competition for the first time and, of the 21 gold medals up for grabs, split between the freestyle and greco-roman disciplines, India have targeted winning 14. In the men's freestyle, Indian quartet Sushil (66kg), Yogeshwar Dutt (60kg), Anil Kumar (55kg) and 2002 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Anuj Kumar (84kg) are all expected to do well. England's Leon Rattigan won British Championship gold in June while Northern Ireland's Mark Montgomery finished third and they head the home nations' challenge in the 96kg weight division. IndianGreco-Roman wrestlers Rajinder Kumar (55kg), Ravinder Singh (60kg), Sunil Kumar (66kg) and Dharmendar Dalal (120 kg) are tipped for success. In the women's freestyle, Alka Tomar (59kg), Babita Kumari (51 kg) and Geeta (55kg) are the ones to watch. From the home nations, Scotland's 41-year-old Robertson twins Fiona and Donna have medal chances in the women's 48kg and 51kg categories respectively. Fiona, who won Commonwealth Games bronze in 2002 is the current British champion while Donna, who was third in 1990, took bronze at last year's Commonwealth Championship. Wales legend Non Evans makes history as the first female to compete in three different sports at the Commonwealth Games. In 2002 she became the first female to compete in two sports when she entered both the weightlifting and judo competitions. Elsewhere, Canada's Justine Bouchard is hot favourite for the women's 63kg and South Africa's Sonja Coetzee is expected to challenge in the 67-72kg weight division.
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