Two-time Olympic gold medallist Sushil Kumar is so used to controversies surrounding him that after greeting the journalists waiting to have a chat with him, the 35-year-old himself brought up a newspaper report about his lack of form and looked around to check if those present were aware of it.
The news report spoke about the Wrestling Federation of India asking two other wrestlers to stay on standby in case the London Olympics silver medallist isn’t fit or pulls out at the last minute in the wake of his poor performance in the Tbilisi Grand Prix last month.
Sushil neither dismissed the report not confirmed it while insisting that he has been working hard with the focus of winning a gold in the upcoming Asian Games. “I am working with a clear focus of giving my best in the Asian Games. I have been training in Georgia and will again go back for a 10-day camp,” he said on the sidelines of an event organised to announce Tata Motors’ three-year partnership with Wrestling Federation of India.
The 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, however, wasn’t happy with an anonymous official commenting that they are not even aware of what Sushil has been doing in training. “The world knows what training I am doing. I can’t train behind close doors. Once I get on the mat, people get to know what I am doing.”
The Wrestling Federation had exempted Sushil from the Asian Games trials along with a few other wrestlers and opinion is divided on whether it was the right decision in the wake of Sushil’s performance in Tblisi.
“I had gone there for training and participated in the competition to just test myself and look at the areas I need to work on. So the body was not well prepared for the competition,” explained the 35-year-old, who will be competing in the Asian Games for the first time since 2006.
Difficult comebacks
Sushil had then won a bronze medal after losing his semi-final against Japan’s Takafumi Kojima by fall after dominating the initial exchanges. “I am working towards winning (gold). You don’t know how hard I am working.
“It’s difficult to make a comeback after four years in any sport and especially in wrestling it is all the more difficult because here every day you have to work on your strength or fitness. Otherwise you tend to get injured often and the tactical awarness on when to attack suffers,” said the grappler, who was out of action since winning the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow and only returned to competitive action in the senior nationals in November last year.
He received walkovers in most of those bouts and his mettle was tested for the first time in the trials for the Commonwealth Games.
The former world champion in 66kg admitted that there was a point during this period when he thought of quitting but decided to return nevertheless and now wants to give his best in every competition. “Yes there was a point when I was thinking whether I should quit but then I again started and here I am. I don’t know anything apart from playing the sport and I am just focused on playing (rather than thinking about Olympics or anything else).
“(It also helped that) I am a very positive person. I normally set a target for myself at the start of the day and focus on completing it at the end of it. And I always keep smiling,” he added.
Sushil also insisted that the change in weight category to 74kg hasn’t really changed much for him as most of his opponents have also moved to the higher weight category.
So ask him about what can one expect from Sushil in Jakarta and the grappler known for his quick reflexes manages to wriggle out with a philosophical example.
“I am trying my best and I want the blessings of everyone. I have made a comeback after four years and I am in good form.... But even if you go to the doctor for a bypass, everything is in his control but still he tells you to pray to the almighty. Same way I am looking for your blessings,” he said with a smile.
