The past four months were hard for the sporting world without any training or competitions. But with the Tokyo Olympics just one year away, it has given new hope to athletes. Wrestling is probably amongst the most affected amongst the sports due to its nature. In India, wrestlers mostly in the light and middleweight categories have been training hard at their respective homes But what about the heavyweight grapplers? How did they spend their time during the covid-19 triggered lockdown? And what are their plans for the Tokyo Olympics? WrestlingTV brings you three of India’s best heavyweight fighters and how they coped up.
Sumit Malik — 125kg men’s freestyle
He is the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist and 2017 Asian Championships silver medallist. He started his wrestling career at the age of 13 at the Chhatrasal Stadium and had a steady rise to become India’s top heavyweight wrestler. However, unlike many of his light and middleweight counter-parts, Sumit’s lockdown experience was not very good. “The three months were very difficult. I stayed back in the stadium but the problem was I had no one to train in my weight class. Everybody was lighter than me and therefore I could only concentrate on individual training,” he told WrestlingTV.
Another problem is the struggle to keep up with the diet. Sumit’s maternal uncle used to bring him homemade fresh milk, curd from 30 km away every day, but since the lockdown, it is now unavailable.“Mama ji used to bring fresh milk, curd every day. The village will be about 30km away from here. But due to the lockdown, I had refused him that you do not come. Now, this is where we get the food and drink. ”Sumit.
The Tokyo Olympic-hopeful will be bidding his chances in the 125 kg weight class. He has set his sight at the national trials and then the Olympic Qualifiers. He is currently working on his technique with the dummy of his own weight class. “There will be an effort to do well in the first national trials, and then the goal is to qualify in the Olympic qualifiers. Right now we practise with dummies and also do technology,” he added.
Satender Malik — 125kg men’s freestyle
A good thing that happened in the lockdown for wrestler Satender Malik, who learned the tricks of Pahlavani from Mokhara village, is he could spend time with his family. “The good thing that happened because of the lockdown is that I got a chance to spend time with my family after 15-16 years. I have a one-year-old daughter with whom I loved spending time with me,” he said.
Ever since the lockdown took place, Satender trained at his village. He missed training with twin Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar and said that they talk on the phone every week. “Ever since the lockdown took place, I was practising in the evening in the village arena. I just missed practice with Sushil Kumar in this entire lockdown. I used to make video calls to him during the week and kept asking him about the practice,” he added.
Krishan Saroha — 125kg men’s freestyle
Commonwealth Games medalist Krishna Saroha is in his hometown in Sonipat. He is a big name in the dangals and has won Bharat Kesari and Hind Kesari title 29 times so far. The wrestler trains once every day usually in the evening. “In the previous trials, I was not able to give trials due to my injury. The best thing that has happened due to coronavirus is that I have got a chance and time to prepare myself and to prove myself in the trials for the Olympics, just preparing for it,” he said.