It’s still a good two years away but recently-crowned Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat has already set her sights on the Olympic Games in 2020.
The wrestler was one of the brightest medal prospects for India in the 2016 Rio Olympics but her campaign ended in tears after she was stretchered off the mat after a career-threatening knee injury in her quarterfinal bout. But the 23-year-old from the famous “Phogat” family didn’t give up and battled her way to recovery to claim her second CWG gold in Gold Coast recently.
“From next year the Olympic qualifiers will start and then preparations for the Olympics. There is still time for the Olympics, but my focus is already at Tokyo,” Vinesh told PTI in an interview.
Her confidence restored by the CWG gold, Vinesh now wants to become India’s first Olympic gold-medallist in wrestling.
“We have got bronze, we have got silver medals in wrestling in the Olympics but gold is still pending. So, whoever can bring the gold will be the nation’s hero,” Vinesh said.
“It (the CWG) was my first big Games after the Olympics. People expected a lot from me in the Olympics but I got injured and bowed out. After recovering from such an injury when you finish on the podium, it gives inspiration to other athletes. It was not an athlete’s win, India’s win,” she said of her gold in 50kg women’s wrestling in Gold Coast.
Vinesh first shot to limelight in 2013 during the Asian Wrestling Championships, when she bagged a bronze medal. Her rise to fame continued when she won the women’s freestyle 48kg gold at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Since then she has won at least one medal every year, including bronze at the 2014 Asian Games, silver at the 2015 Doha Asian Championships followed by a bronze in Bangkok in the same competition in 2016 and then again a silver in New Delhi in 2017.
“Now my complete focus is on the Asian Games. Before that, we are expected to play two more competitions and then the World Championships. I will try to give my best in all,” she said.
“The level of competition in the Asian Games will be much higher than the Commonwealth Games but I hope to claim the gold there too.”
In any big event, the level of pressure on Indian sportspersons is quite high now. Often, big sporting stars buckle under pressure but Vinesh says she thrives in situations like that.
“I take pressure as people’s love towards me. If 125 crore Indians expect you to win than it means there is something in me. I always enjoy and excel under pressure situations because I feel I have it in me,” she said.
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