The nation-wide lockdown which was enforced in March. While for many wrestlers it came as a shocker as it messed up their training schedule, Olympic-bound wrestler Ravi Dahiya found it ‘relaxing’.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya has secured the Olympic quota in men’s 57kg freestyle and is doing his best to get his names etched amongst the best. During the four-month lockdown, while many of his fellow wrestlers at Chhatrasal Akhada decided to return home, he decided to stay back and continue with his training. It was a weird feeling, he says, but then it was relaxing as there were no worries about competition.
“Earlier, 200-250 wrestlers used to stay here. The number reduced to around 20 during the lockdown. Initially, I felt the difference, but quickly I got used to the new atmosphere. Actually, I found it to be very relaxing. You just have to eat and train (amid social distancing and other safety protocols) and worry about nothing,” the Asian Championship gold medallist told Sportstar.
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“The pressure of competitions is immense. It plays on your mind in the run-up to a competition. About 10-12 days prior to an event, we cannot sleep properly thinking about it. Training with a relaxed mind, alongside an idol like Sushil Kumar, is the best experience one can have. It’s like off-season training, working on improving your game,” he added.
The 22-year-old from Nahri village, Sonepat, Haryana keeps in touch with his family members but has decided to stay put and continue his training.
Mission Leg defence
Dahiya had a stellar performance at the New Delhi-held Asian Championships in February. His movement on the mat, ground attacks and leg defence were to the point. Everything added and he won gold in 57kg weight class.
However, despite a good performance, the wrestler continues to work on leg defence and attack to refine his new learnt techniques.
“I am trying to improve my leg defence and attack. These are the most important areas for a wrestler belonging to a lower weight. Wrestlers generally crouch a lot in lower weights, so the game revolves around the legs. That’s why I am concentrating on the legs and trying to make the most of the time I have until the Olympics,” Dahiya concluded, reported Sportstar.