We have to adapt to changing styles, Indian wrestler says

New Delhi: India's Beijing Games bronze medal-winning wrestler Sushil Kumar, who on Friday booked his London berth, feels every fighter is on the lookout for an "element of surprise" in the fighting style as every wrestler is studying every other potential rival going through the tapes of bouts.

The 28-year-old Delhi wrestler, who won gold in the 66kg event in the World Qualifying Tournament in China, said his brief training stint at the US Olympic Centre in Colorado Springs in January helped him a lot and he is ready for London.

"Every wrestler has to change his style and technique regularly. It helps to keep the opponent guessing. Change was badly needed. My opponents are watching my videos everyday and they can easily analyse my fighting technique. It is important to change style regularly. It was a tactical decision and I hope it will work at the Olympics," Sushil told IANS in an interview, adding that he decided to change his style after he failed to defend his World Championship title last year.

Sushil tested his new style at the Dave Schultz Memorial International Wrestling Tournament in Colorado Springs, where he won the gold medal. But he struggled in the first Olympic qualifier at Astana last month.

Sushil, however, was in sublime form at the World Qualifier in China last week. He defeated Georgian Otar Tushishvilli, also a Beijing Games bronze medallist, in the final on Friday to book his ticket to London.

Asked if it was the right thing to experiment a new style in the Olympic year, Sushil said: "It doesn't matter. We had six months to prepare and that is enough."

Sushil said he had worked hard on his closed stance.

"In fact, it is a mix of both closed and open stance."