Aberdeen wrestler Nathan Ferguson’s first major international tournament ended after just one minute and 39 seconds after he was forced to withdraw from the junior European championships through injury.
The 19-year-old discovered four days before his fight in Istanbul he would need to have his lower back realigned by a chiropractor.
Ferguson was desperate to face Romania’s Gheorghe Bodisteanu in Turkey, but was forced to withdraw less than two minutes into the match on June 23.
A disappointed Ferguson said: “It was the first major tournament I had been to and I had to pull out, which was obviously disappointing.
“I tried to go through with it but it was just too painful no matter what I tried to do.
“I had spent the last year training for it so the timing of the injury was terrible but I’m hoping to compete next year.
“Right until the European championships, things had been going well this year but it was poor timing for the injury.”
Swelling to his knee had ruled Ferguson out of training for five weeks earlier in the year but he felt in great shape heading to Turkey.
He has now been told he will need between one to two months out of the sport due to the back injury.
That would effectively rule him out of the world championships in Las Vegas in September, but he is still hopeful of finishing the year strongly.
Ferguson, who is now based in Kilsyth, near Glasgow, is a two-time British junior champion and is targeting a third straight title later this year.
He does not lack confidence and believes he will compete at the highest level in the future.
Ferguson said: “The world championships is in August so that won’t happen for me because of my back.
“So I’m now looking at the British junior championships in Wales in October and then the British senior championships in Wolverhampton later that month.
“Long term I’m completely focused on the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018. I’m 100% confident I will get there.
“I don’t think I will make the Olympics in Rio next year but I like my chances for 2020.”
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