BERHAMPUR: Commonwealth gold medallist and weightlifter K. Ravi Kumar left for London2012 on Monday amidst prayers from his family and well-wishers. "I went to the temple and prayed for his success just after his London-bound plane left from New Delhi. He spoke to me and I gave him my blessings," said K Suryakanta, Ravi Kumar's mother.
Many of his well-wishers also SMSed him conveying their good wishes. "I will try my best in the Olympics but I am not under any pressure," Ravi told TOI before leaving for London. Besides Ravi, who will participate in the Olympics in the 69 kg category, Soniya Chanu, the CWG silver medallist in the 48 kg category women will also be there. "We have high hopes from them. They could spring a surprise in the Olympic games," said vice-president of Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Narayan Sahu, who is also general secretary of Odisha Weightlifting Association (OWA).
They were selected for the Olympics during the Asian Championship in South Korea in May. Both the weightlifters have practiced hard for 5 to 7 hours daily at the national camp in Patiala. "Ravi, who had a shoulder injury is also fit now. So we can bank on our weightlifters," Sahu said.
"He was doing well in his practice sessions. He had won gold in CWC by lifting 321 kg. We are expecting he will improve upon his previous show," said Sita Prasad Patnaik, a coach with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Ravi's former coach.
Arjuna award winner Ravi had started as a weightlifter from the Veer Hanuman Circus Physical Institute here before he was selected to join in the SAI hostel in 2005. "Since he is a member of our club, we will organize a rally wishing him success in the London Olympics on July 27," a club member said.
Source: Times of India
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