'From midnight to 5:30 in the morning, she worked on different cardio machines and wrestling moves, about three-quarters of an hour at one go, with two-three minutes of rest.' 'Then she started again. She collapsed, but somehow we got her up.'
Vinesh Phogat, who lost in the quarter-finals of the women's 53-kg freestyle event at the Tokyo Olympics, penned a letter about emotional breakdowns, mental well-being and how being denied her physio affected her performance at the Games.
Manisha Bhanwala clinched India's first gold medal at the Asian Championships since 2021 edition with a close 8-7 win over Korea's Ok J Kim.
It is fourth gold of the season for Asian Games champion Bajrang Punia.
'I was not nervous because I had to wrestle strong opponents. It is a World Championship and qualifying for the Olympics was very important for me, so that nervousness was there'
Star wrestler Vinesh Phogat raised questions about the manner in which Padma awards are given to sportspersons, terming the process as an 'unfair one' after facing the snub for the third time. The current World Championship bronze medallist and one of India's biggest medal hopes at the Tokyo Olympics, Vinesh hit out at the government accusing them of leaving out 'deserving' candidates.
The only woman wrestler to have qualified for Tokyo Olympics, Vinesh said she would prefer to be in isolation for some time.
Olympic bronze medalist Sakshi Malik has lauded Vinesh Phogat for becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final.
Sumariwalla revealed that a lot of measures were taken to ensure that Vinesh could get past the weigh-in despite the lack of time.
Star Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat won her second gold medal in as many weeks with a dominant win in the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event in Rome, which also saw her reclaim the World No 1 ranking in her category.
Vinesh Phogat created history, becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in wrestling at the Asian Games in Jakarta.
The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics was her "worst fear" and India's medal hopeful Vinesh Phogat says the extended wait is going to be tougher than competing at the Games. In an unprecedented move, the 2020 Tokyo Games was on Tuesday pushed to next year due to coronavirus pandemic that is wreaking havoc on the world.
Olympic-bound wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Anshu Malik won their maiden Asian Championship titles after comfortable triumphs in their respective summit clashes in Almaty on Friday.
'After my injury in Rio I never thought I'd be able to go back to the Olympics. Somewhere in my mind I felt incomplete. That feeling always kept on driving me to do better. I am very stubborn, I motivated myself to do better and that is why I am going to the Olympics'
Indian wrestlers have not missed a medal since the 2008 Beijing Games and the onus is now on Vinesh Phogat & Co to continue the trend.
Star Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Friday said she does not have much time to grieve over her Tokyo Games debacle and is gearing up for future challenges while young Anshu Malik suggested that a sports psychologist should be attached with the team to help them overcome nerves at big stage like the Olympics.
The hearing on the matter concluded in Paris on Friday after it accepted Vinesh's appeal against her ouster for being 100gm overweight on the morning of her final against eventual gold-winner Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of USA.
Star Indian pistol shooter Manu Bhaker was named the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year, following her outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics.
For a few months an Indian Olympic Association ad-hoc panel ran the show but after UWW lifted its suspension following the conduct of elections, the committee was dissolved.
Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik and Asian Games champion Vinesh Phogat won a bronze each as India's women ended their campaign without a gold medal in the Asian Wrestling Championships, in Xi'an, on Friday.
Vinesh Phogat won her first gold medal of the 2020 season at the Rome Ranking Series event
Vinesh wins bronze, Pooja in line for second medal
However, according to the latest developments, the WFI have now returned to Brij Bhushan's house after their failure to get a new premise because of the ban imposed by the Sports Ministry.
The 23-year-old champion wrestler's Asian gold medal tells us that tough times don't last, tough people do.
It was a second consecutive defeat for Vinesh against the Japanese this season after losing to the two-time world champion at the Asian Championship in China.
'And when I say sabotage I mean people who are not happy to see India rise as a sporting nation. This girl has been through so much, your heart breaks for her. What more could she have done? Which other test?'
Vinesh Phogat alleged on Sunday that the government is trying to protect Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The BJP has fielded as many as 10 turncoats, including those who joined the party from the JJP in recent weeks.
India's biggest wrestling medal hope at the Paris Games, Antim Panghal ended her Olympic campaign with a humiliating 0-10 defeat to Turkey's Yetgil Zeynep in the women's 53 kg category
Vinesh Phogat, the only Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for Tokyo Olympics, has pulled out of the national camp citing health safety concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision which has irked the national federation.
Really pained by events in Indian wrestling but hopeful of two medals: Yogeshwar Dutt
World No 1 Bajrang has recently stamped his authority at the Asian Championship in Xi'an, China by clinching a gold medal in the men's 65kg freestyle event.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 11, Tuesday, August 6, 2024:
Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra is among only three track and field athletes retained in the sports ministry's revamped TOPS core group.
Following is India's schedule of Day 15 of competitions at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.
Sakshi Malik expresses anguish at Brij Bhushan's son getting BJP ticket for Lok Sabha polls
Stalwarts of Indian sports paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who died on Thursday, describing him as a visionary, who had quiet strength and humility.
On Friday, Sakshi (65kg, silver), Vinesh (53kg, bronze) young Anshu Malik (57kg bronze) and Gursharan Preet kaur (72kg, bronze) added to India's tally.
World silver winner Deepak Punia, making a transition from junior to senior circuit, and Rahul Aware, who won a bronze in Nur Sultan, are deserving candidates for the Arjuna Award.
