It is a well-known fact that Sushil Kumar has inspired many young wrestlers in India. Any kid who takes to wrestling as a career, dreams of emulating his medal-winning performances at the Olympics. But his aura has even influenced a Nigerian great who wants to be just like him. The world number two in 57kg weight Adekuoroye Odunayo is the 2017 World Championship silver medallist and 2018 Commonwealth Games winner.
In 2019 she won bronze at the World Championships in Kazakhstan. Interestingly, Sushil had also attended the competition where Odunayo got a chance to meet her idol. She shares her experience after meeting Sushil amongst many other things in a conversation with WrestlinTV.
WrestlingTV: You played in the Indian league, how was the experience playing in front of a large crowd?
Odunayo: Yes, playing in front of such a large crowd was a never forgetting experience for me. I enjoyed their hospitality, encouragement and sympathy when someone lost. It was good. It also helped me get secure financially, made me popular and helped me improve my wrestling. India is like my second home now.
WrestlingTV: You had been in good form and was training hard but now coming so close the Olympics are postponed. How do you feel with one more year to go for the Games?
Odunayo: I am coping with the Coronavirus situation, but it not easy. I have missed my friends, my coach, mat training, church service. I pray we come back to normal life soon.
WrestlingTV: How difficult is for you mentally that you still have to wait for another year before realising the Olympic dream?
Odunayo: It is not difficult for me mentally to wait for another year to realize the Olympic dream as long as I can achieve it. The time, months, year does not matter, what matters for me to is achieve podium performance.
WrestlingTV: Are you still training? Can you take us through your schedule that you follow now?
Odunayo: I train inside my house. I run on the treadmill, do some shadows wrestling, I get instructions from my coach must of the times on the phone to know what to do.
WrestlingTV: What do you do in your spare time during quarantine?
Odunayo: I pray to the almighty God to heal the world. Besides this, I also watch movies and make calls.
WrestlingTV: Your tag of a dancing wrestler – how much do you enjoy it?
Odunayo: I enjoy the tag of the dancing queen. It feels good.
WrestlingTV: Who is your favourite Indian wrestler?
Odunayo: I am a big fan of Sushil Kumar. He attended the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan and I met him there. It was very good. He is a very good wrestler. It was a great moment.
WrestlingTV: You have some tough competitors in your group, especially Japan’s Risako Kawai, China’s Ningning Rong and Norway’s Grace Bullen. Have you planned something to tackle them at the Olympics?
Odunayo: I know I have tough competitors in my weight class. I am seriously working on how to tackle them. It is not an easy task but by the grace of God, I know I will succeed.
WrestlingTV: What are your plans now for the Olympics? What places are you planning to travel to train?
Odunayo: My plans for the Olympics is to train well. I will also attend several competitions. According to my coach, I will go to train in the USA and Canada after things normalize.
