WRESTLING: If Wrestling Australia has its way Australia’s lone competitor at the 2012 London Olympic Games, Farzad Tarash, will have plenty of mates to share in the Olympic experience in 2016.

Tough international competition conspired against a larger Australian contingent competing in London, meaning the 25-year-old Tarash was left to fly Australia’s wrestling flag by his lonesome.

But Wrestling Australia president Kuldip Bassi said there’s a contingent of young, talented wrestlers in Australia who need investment to realise their potential.

“I don’t mind saying it, we’ll continue to work hard to secure more funding from the Australian Sports Commission because we really need it to give our athletes a chance to compete overseas against the best in the world,” Bassi said.

“That will be our focus because we certainly have some talent in the ranks that will benefit.”

Tarash, who is of Iranian heritage, made use of his local connections in the lead-up to the Games, training with the highly-rated Iranian national team out of their base in Tehran.

Once in the Olympic Village, the star-studded Cuban wrestling team were good enough to offer Tarash training partners throughout the competition period, as were Namibia, who also had just the one competitor. 

His long wait to perform - the second last day of competition - ended in a 0-3, 0-5 loss to the People’s Republic of Korea’s Jong Myong RI at ExCeL in East London’s Royal Victoria Dock.

The Melbourne based wrestler competed in the men’s freestyle 60kg competition and  wrestled bravely but was unable to score any points against the experienced North Korean who finished third at the Asian Championships.

Up against full-time wrestlers who do nothing but hone their skills day-in, day-out, Tarash said he was proud of his achievement.

Doug MacDougall in London

Olympics.com.au