'Matured and tactically improved' - Star wrestler Vinesh Phogat focused on Tokyo 2020
The ace wrestler is focusing on recovery and aggression before flying to Tokyo
Star Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been in scintillating form since she returned to action after the break -- due to Covid-19-- in February 2021.
She has finished in the top spot in three international competitions including the Matteo Pellicone Rome Rankings in March and the Asian Championships in mid-April in Kazakhstan. This was her maiden gold at the Asian Championship in seven attempts, which further testifies the rich vein of form she is in.
However, the Commonwealth Games champion feels that there are a couple of aspects where she needs to improve. She accepted that she has had a hard time recovering after a competition and also intends to improve the coordination between the body and mind.
"I entered the competition arena after a year in Kiev and realised that my wrestling wasn't smooth," stated Vinesh during a media interaction facilitated by SAI (Sports Authority of India).
"There was a certain stiffness in my body and my movements during the bouts weren't matching my mind. Then in the second competition in Rome, I managed to strike a balance between the two. At the Asian meet, I faced recovery issues after the weight loss, and the aggression during bouts was missing. I am figuring out changes in my diet to resolve the recovery issue. So, I need to figure these two issues out."
The ace grappler has changed her weight category from 50kg to 53kg for the Tokyo Olympics in 2019, and since then she has been fighting low blood pressure.
"Sometimes, it happens during the competition and, as a result, I can't see my opponents' move clearly. Everything becomes blank for a while. So, I have to always keep my BP (blood pressure) in check and constantly monitor its fluctuations. When salt intake goes down, I feel dizziness. During the Kiev tournament, it went down, but in Rome, I managed to keep it under control. Nothing happened during the Asian Championships. Still, with Tokyo three-four months' away, I need to keep a strict check on it."
Vinesh thinks that training under coach Woller Akos has made her a more complete wrestler.
"Earlier, I would only look for attacks during my matches, whether I am winning or losing. I would make the same mistakes again and again. I had kind of become one-dimensional. I was playing front wrestling like attacking straightway. Now, I have matured and become a tactical wrestler. I know when to attack and how to read an opponent's move. The timing is crucial. I now rely on motion and changed wrestling like more hand movements and attacking the opponent only when there's an opening.
"Previously, I would be in a hurry to score points, now it is about playing clever with smooth hand and mind coordination. Both Woller and I will sit together on Saturday to watch competition videos of my opponents who are coming to Tokyo. For every opponent we are strategizing," she revealed.