2019 World bronze medalist Ravi Kumar (Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)As of today, we under 50 days from the start of wrestling at the Olympic Games. Over the next 50 days, we'll bring you one profile per day of a decorated international contender. Make sure you get to know the wrestlers that Team USA will compete against in Tokyo.
7/20/21 - Zaurbek Sidakov (Russia)
7/15/21 - Taha Akgul (Turkey)
7/13/21 - Artur Naifonov (Russia)
7/11/21 - Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia)
7/10/21 - Khadzhimurad Ghadzhiev (Azerbaijan)
7/8/21 - Ali Shabanov (Belarus)
7/7/21 - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Russia)
7/6/21 - Suleyman Karadeniz (Turkey)
7/5/21 - Frank Chamizo (Italy)
7/3/21 - Yui Susaki (Japan)
7/1/21 - Amir Zare (Iran)
6/28/21 - Zavur Uguev (Russia)
6/27/21 - Zhan Beleniuk (Ukraine)
6/26/21 - Sergey Kozyrev (Russia)
6/24/21 - Kenchiro Fumita (Japan)
6/23/21 - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (Belarus)
6/22/21 - Erica Wiebe (Canada)
6/21/21 - Myles Amine (San Marino)
6/20/21 - Sofia Mattsson (Sweden)
6/19/21 - Hassan Yazdani Charati (Iran)
6/18/21 - Tamas Lorincz (Hungary)
6/17/21 - Takuro Otoguro (Japan)
6/16/21 - Elizbar Odikadze (Georgia)
6/15/21 - Koumba Larroque (France)
6/14/21 - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
6/13/21 - Ningning Rong (China)
6/12/21 - Bajrang Punia (India)
6/11/21 - Frank Staebler (Germany)
6/10/21 - Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
#5 Ravi Kumar of India had a pair of runner-up finishes at the 2015 Junior and 2018 U-23 World Championships that put his name on the map, but it would be his incredible run through the 2019 World Championships that solidified him as a talent to watch in Tokyo. An impressive 2020 and 2021 have seen continued momentum from Kumar, but will he be able to capitalize in Tokyo? Today's Olympic profile will look at the career of 2019 world bronze medalist #5 Ravi Kumar of India.
The Stats
#5 Ravi Kumar (IND)- 2015 Junior Asian champion, 2015 Junior world runner-up, 2018 U-23 world runner-up, 2019 Asian championships 5th, 2019 Medved bronze medalist, 2019 world bronze medalist, 2020 Matteo Pellicone champion, 2020 Asian champion, 2021 Asian champion, 2021 61 KG Ziolkowski runner-up.
Key Wins: #6 Yuki Takahashi (2019 world championships, 2020 Asian championships), Arsen Harutyunyan (2019 world championships), #17 Reza Atri (2019 world bronze medal match, 2021 61 KG Ziolkowski), #9 Gulomyon Abdullaev (2021 61 KG Ziolkowski), #7 (61) Taras Markovych (2018 U-23 world championships), #8 (61) Nurislam Sanayev (2020 Matteo Pellicone, 2020 Asian championships, 2021 61 KG Ziolkowski), #15 (61) Jahongirmirza Turobov (2018 U-23 world championships), #16 (61) Adlan Askarov (2021 61 KG Ziolkowski), Makhmudjon Shavkatov (2019 Medved), #20 Stevan Micic (2015 Junior world championships), Zanabazar Zandanbud (2015 Junior world championships).
Key Losses: Toshihiro Hasegawa (2018 U-23 world finals), #9 Gulomyon Abdullaev (2016 Junior world championships, 2021 61 KG Ziolkowski), Afghan Khasalov (2016 Junior world championships), #1 Zavur Uguev (2019 world championships), #17 Reza Atri (2019 Asian championships), Makhmudjon Shavkatov (2019 Asian championships), Vladimir Burukov (2019 61 KG Dan Kolov), Gamzatgadzhi Khalidov (2020 Individual World Cup), Vladislav Andreev (2019 Medved), Zanabazar Zandanbud (2013 54 KG Cadet Asian Championships, 2013 54 KG Cadet world championships), Andrey Yatsenko (2013 54 KG Cadet world championships quarterfinals), Daton Fix (2014 54 KG Cadet world championships), Daiki Araki (2017 Junior Asian championships), Makhir Amiraslanov (2015 Junior world finals).
2013-2018
Ravi Kumar's career began at the 2013 54 KG Cadet Asian Championships, where he finished runner-up to eventual world bronze medalist Zanabzar Zandanbud of Mongolia. The World Championships would come around and Kumar made the quarterfinals against returning world champion Andrey Yatsenko of Ukraine. Falling by pin to Yatsenko, Kumar was pushed into the repechage bracket, where he lost in a rematch of the Asian championship finals to Zanabazar Zandanbud (MGL) and was eliminated from the competition.
Kumar only competed once in 2014, where he placed 17th at the Cadet World Championships after an opening-round loss to Daton Fix of the United States. Kumar's 2015 would be the most successful year of his young career as he made the move up to the Junior level and took gold at the Asian Championships and finished as a runner-up at the World Championships to Makhir Amiraslanov of Azerbaijan. Kumar was able to get his first real big wins at that event over #20 Stevan Micic (SRB) and avenging two past 2013 losses to Zanabazar Zandanbud (MGL) and really announced himself to the international scene.
As the returning Junior world runner-up, Kumar was expected to contend for gold at the 2016 Junior world championships, but the Round of 16 would crush any title aspirations of Kumar, when he was tech-falled by Afghan Khasalov of Azerbaijan. With Khasalov making the finals and going on to win gold over Khasanhussein Badrudinov (RUS), Kumar was pulled into repechage where he'd face Gulomyon Abdullaev (UZB) in the first round. The counters of the Uzbek proved to be too much for Kumar and he would be eliminated from the World Championships after a 12-7 loss. Kumar's final year of Junior eligibility would see him compete once in 2017, taking ninth at the Junior Asian Championships after an opening-round loss to Daiki Araki (JPN).
2018-2021
Kumar's international Senior-level debut would be at the end of 2018 in November at the U-23 World Championships. Putting together an exceptional run through the tournament, Kumar beat #7 Taras Markovych (UKR) and #16 Jahongirmirza Turobov (UZB) in the quarterfinals and semifinals. In the finals against Toshihiro Hasegawa of Japan, Kumar's momentum would hit a hard stop as Hasegawa throttled Kumar from start to finish for a pin win and U-23 world gold.
Kumar's 2019 campaign began with a 12th place finish at the 61 KG Dan Kolov after an opening-round loss to eventual bronze medalist Vladimir Burukov (UKR). Kumar's next competition at the Asian Championships would fare better as he took fifth with losses to champion #17 Reza Atri (IRI) and 2017 Asian Indoor Games champion Makhmudjon Shavkatov (UZB). Kumar's final competition before his first Senior World Championships would take place at the Medved, where he'd put together a bronze medal performance with wins over Petr Konstantinov (RUS) and Makhmudjon Shavkatov (UZB) to a loss to champion Vladislav Andreev (BLR).
Kumar's 2019 World Championship would bring on a major transition in his career. In his first full year as a Senior, Kumar ran through his way to the semifinals, outscoring elite competition the likes of Kim Sung-Gwon (KOR), 61 KG European champion Arsen Harutyunyan (ARM), and 2017 world champion #6 Yuki Takahashi (JPN) 34-7. Against the reigning world champion #1 Zavur Uguev of Russia, Kumar fell behind 2-0 at the end of the first but roared back with four points in the second period. A big fireman's carry for Uguev would seal a 6-4 win and put Kumar into the bronze medal match. Kumar was in command the whole time throughout his match against Asian champion Atri, walking away with a 6-3 win and world bronze to establish himself as a contender for Tokyo.
Kumar's 2020 campaign built upon the momentum from his 2019 world bronze medal, winning the Matteo Pellicone and the Asian Championships with wins over world medalist #8 Nurislam Sanayev (KAZ). With gold at the Matteo Pellicone and Asian championships with victories over elite contenders, Kumar was a lock for the finals of the Individual World Cup to get revenge against two-time world champion #1 Zavur Uguev (RUS). But that wouldn't happen. What would happen was a shocking upset to 2019 61 KG Junior European bronze medalist Gamzatgadzhi Khalidov (HUN), who pinned Kumar in the Round of 16 to eliminate him from the competition.
2021 began with Kumar winning his second Asian Championship title over Alireza Sarlak (IRI) and competing at the 61 KG Ziolkowski for his final competition before the Olympics. In a round-robin tournament format, Kumar avenged his loss from the 2016 Junior world championships to #9 Gulomyon Abdullaev (UZB) 10-1. Kumar's next match wouldn't come as handedly as against 2019 U-23 world runner-up #16 Adlan Askarov (KAZ), who was coming off a title at the Matteo Pellicone and silver at the Asian championships. A 6-0 lead at the end of the first period had Kumar on the ropes, but a furious second period for the returning world bronze medalist would net him a 13-8 win. US Olympic Trials bronze medalist Nathan Tomasello (USA) was a 9-5 win for Kumar that put him in the semifinals opposite Atri. In a rematch from their 2019 world bronze medal match, Kumar beat Atri 7-4 to make the against Abdullaev. Leading 2-1 at the end of the first, Kumar would fall to Abdullaev's counters and lose the finals match 5-3.
Over the past two years, Kumar has taken over at 57 KG and established himself as one of the premier challengers to two-time world champion Uguev. As one of the leaders of the resurgent Indian wrestling movement, Kumar is a contender to watch in Tokyo.
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