I am on right track in Oly year, says Vinesh after Rome gold

New Delhi, January 18

Her 'ground wrestling' remains a work in progress but Vinesh Phogat believes that a solid gold medal-winning performance in Rome shows that she is on the right track in the Olympics year.

Competing in the first Ranking Series event of the 2020 season, Vinesh downed two tough Chinese rivals on her way to the 53kg gold medal bout, in which she overpowered Ecuador's Luisa Elizabeth Valverde.

"Competing at an international event tests our training. It tells us whether we are moving in the right direction or not... So this result shows we are on right track since it's big year, it' an Olympic year," Vinesh, India's big medal hope at the Tokyo Games, said.

"At this event, I competed with girls I had never wrestled before and against Pang I was wrestling for the third time. It was important to know if her style has changed or not. These tournaments help in assessing yourself and the rivals too," she added.

Vinesh said she still lacks when it comes to scoring points from ground positions, and has been working with her coach, Woller Akos, on this. "We worked on strength and stamina in three months of off-season. The mat training began only in January. I mostly score points from standing wrestling and not much from ground wrestling. It's not easy to change but compared to last year's January, I am much better, so the coaches are happy," she said.

"In India, I do score points from ground wrestling easily and against anyone but at this level, it's difficult. The more I compete in these competitions, the better for me. The training camps outside have helped me. Everything has changed since I switched the category,” the Haryana girl said.

"The training, the food, the technique, the style, everything has undergone a huge change. Body takes time to adapt though mind accepts. But both mind and body have to come together," said Vinesh, India’s only woman medallist at the 2019 World Championship.

BAJRANG WINS GOLD

Bajrang Punia defeated Michael Oliver of USA 4-3 to win the gold in 65kg category at the Rome Ranking Series. Bajrang had to sweat it out in the first round against Zain Retherford of USA before prevailing 5-4. In the quarterfinals, the Jhajjar wrestler beat another American, Joseph Christopher McKenna, 4-2, before getting the better of Vasyl Shuptar of Ukraine 6-4 in the semifinals. Ravi Kumar (61kg) beat Nurbolat Abduliyev of Kazakhstan (12-2) in the bronze medal bout. However, it was curtains for Jitender in the 74kg and Deepak Punia in the 86kg category. — TNS

MOVE UP

Vinesh has been been competing in the 53kg category for a year, after moving up from the 50kg division, in which she had done very well. She is gradually getting the belief that this is her category. “In 50kg, I knew each and every rival. Now in 53kg, also I have a fair idea against whom I have to use power and where I need to wrestle smartly. I can say that 60 to 70 percent I am there,” she said.