After lost time, Vinesh wants only gold

New Delhi : The moment Vinesh Phogat arrived at the KD Jadhav wrestling hall around noon, she immediately took off for a warm-up lap around the IG stadium. By the time Kuldeep Malik, women’s chief coach, assembled the other wrestlers for an hour-long practice session before the weigh-ins in the evening, Vinesh had completed two laps. She was going for the third when Malik called her back.
Sweating a bucketful in the sweltering May heat, Vinesh’s work ethic signified how much the Haryana wrestler had been missing the wrestling arena.
Vinesh, the Glasgow CWG gold medallist in 48kg, had been off the wrestling mat for nearly six months after injuring her right knee during her quarterfinal bout at the Rio Olympics. She returned to active wrestling in February when she joined the national camp in Lucknow after her rehabilitation programme.
Six months’ break can be an excruciatingly long time in any sportsperson’s life. It can even end an athlete’s playing career. But Vinesh pulled through.
Vinesh, participating in the Asian Wrestling Championship, is making a return to international wrestling after nearly nine months. “I had been desperately waiting for this championship to begin. Only a gold medal can compensate for those nine months. Even those bloodied cuts while practising were not as painful as the days spent in rehabilitation,” Vinesh told The Tribune. Vinesh was stretchered off during her quarterfinal bout at Rio after her opponent pinned her down in an awkward position, injuring her right knee. “I cried a lot. I had done all the hard work, preparing for the Rio Games. It was my debut at the Olympics and I had only one aim, to return with a medal. When Sakshi (Malik) won the bronze, I had tears in my eyes. It was tears of both joy and sorrow. I was happy for her, but equally disappointed with my injury,” said the Arjuna Award winner.

Overcoming negativity
Vinesh said that negative thoughts had engulfed her during the rehabilitation period. Had it not been for Yogeshwar Dutt’s motivating words and the efforts of the medical staff of her sponsor, JSW Sports, she wouldn’t have been able to make a comeback. “No one had got injured more times than Dutt sir. His wrestling career is riddled with injuries. I spoke to him several times during my rehabilitation. He told me only one thing, ‘don’t lose hope, you will return stronger’. Those words always kept me motivated,” she said. “A world-class team of physiotherapists provided by JSW at its sports excellence centre in Bengaluru helped me overcome all my fears,” she added. Vinesh had to undergo surgery at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital to get her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear treated.
Upon her return from rehabilitation, Vinesh participated in the Bharat Kesari Dangal in Ambala, a national-level tournament, in the 53kg category and she won the gold medal. At the Asian Championship, though, she will participate in the 55kg category.  “My doctors and coach (Malik) don’t want me to lose too much weight as that could weaken my muscles. They want me to gradually lose weight as I am still recovering. I will not compete in 55kg in future tournaments. At the World Championship in August, I’ll be back participating in 48kg,” she said.