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Vaishnavi Patil impressed with her speed and remarkable mat awareness at the selection trials for the forthcoming World Championships. She outsmarted her competitors one by one to secure her spot in the national team in the women's 65kg category for next month's Worlds in Zagreb.
From Kalyan To Hisar To World Champ'ships, Dhaba Owner's Daughter Eyes Olympics
Vaishnavi Patil impressed with her speed and remarkable mat awareness at the selection trials for the forthcoming World Championships. She outsmarted her competitors one by one to secure her spot in the national team in the women's 65kg category for next month's Worlds in Zagreb.
Given her tactical intelligence and strong defence, it's hard to believe that Vaishnavi has only been involved in mat wrestling for four years and has little experience in major tournaments.
Typically, Indian wrestlers transition from the junior to senior level, gaining experience through domestic events, then moving to the Asian level, and gradually participating in senior international tournaments, Asian championships, before finally competing at the Worlds.
Vaishnavi, the daughter of a dhaba owner in Kalyan, Mumbai, has risen to the top level in the country quickly, despite starting relatively late.
“I started mat wrestling around the end of 2020. Before that I was doing only mud wrestling. When I saw Sakshi Malik win that medal in 2016 Rio, I decided what I needed to do, I just wanted to pursue this sport," Vaishnavi was quoted as saying to PTI after defeating Muskan 7-2 in the final.
“My father runs a dhaba and my mother is a housewife. My parents are managing everything for me. There weren't many good academies in Maharashtra, so I shifted to Hisar," said the 22-year-old, who trains under coach Jasbeer at the Sushil Kumar Akahada.
Vaishnavi idolises American wrestler Helen Maroulis, the 2016 Olympic champion, bronze medallist at the Tokyo (2021) and Paris Games (2024), and seven-time Worlds medallist. “She is an amazing wrestler. I watch her bouts on YouTube. I want to do well for myself and for the country. I am confident of winning a medal at the Worlds and eventually I want to win an Olympic medal."
Coach Jasbeer believes that discouraging Vaishnavi from frequently visiting her home in Maharashtra has significantly contributed to her progress. “She used to stay here for two-three months in Hisar and go back to her native place for two months. I told her parents that she needs to be at the training centre for one year. They agreed and she is a very dedicated wrestler, and the result is there," Jasbeer told PTI.
“She is very disciplined, she works very hard. We have good wrestlers at our centre and practicing with them has also helped her. She is technically sound and her counter-attacks are pretty good."
Interestingly, Vaishnavi started as a swimmer and even won two state-level medals. Attending a felicitation ceremony for wrestlers and seeing the respect they received drew her to the combat sport.
“When she was in class IX, she said she wanted to become a fighter pilot and serve the country. We searched for training centres, but realising that her eyesight number was 9.7, we knew she wouldn't make it.
“We put her in swimming and one day she said she wants to change the sport. The centres were far away in Kolaba, Sangli, Satara and we did not want to send her too far. But seeing her passion, we introduced her to Jasbeer sir and sent her to Hisar," Vaishnavi's father Dilip Patil told PTI.
“Initially, her mother stayed with her, taking care of her needs. I run a dhaba near the bus stop in our village and all our earning go into her training. My bank balance is zero. I manage my house with some income from farming but all the dhaba earning is transferred to Vaishnavi.
“She showed promise quite early During her first competition, without much training she won a silver in the junior state competition and then won back-to-back gold. We speak to her only once, on Sunday as she is not allowed to keep a mobile phone by the coaches at the akhada," said Patil.
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Moving to Haryana, Vaishnavi had to adapt to a different culture compared to Maharashtra. “Most people do not eat non-vegetarian food in Haryana. They rely more on milk, curd, all these things. Ghee, almonds, and all dairy products have been added to my diet, though I continue to take non-veg food. I now understand Haryanvi as well," said Vaishnavi with a big smile.
(With inputs from PTI)
Source: News18
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