Aware recalls time when he considered quitting sport

After he was not selected for the 2016 Rio Olympics, wrestler Rahul Aware had considered quitting. Two years on, the Maharashtra grappler is the happy recipient of a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“Time does not stop for anyone, my age was advancing and I was missing important tournaments. I missed the Olympics.....I had decided that if I qualify for the 2016 Olympics then it’s fine, or else would retire from the sport.  Wrestling is a game which can be played till a certain age— maximum 30 years,” said 26-year-old Aware.

He was speaking after receiving Sportsman of the Year award of the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai.

“I was sidelined for the 2016 Olympics. After a year there were trials for the (2018) Commonwealth Games, which was a challenge, but I took it for the last time (and got selected),” he said.

Aware went on to bag the gold medal in the 57 kg freestyle category at the Commonwealth Games held at Gold Coast, Australia, earlier in 2018.