CHENNAI: Soon after Vinesh Phogat, the country’s biggest medal hope in the women’s section of the ongoing World Championships, was handed the ‘toughest possible draw’ on Monday, Hungarian coach Woller Akos spoke to her to discuss strategy.
Pitted against the Olympic bronze medallist Sofia Mattsson in the opening round, the 55kg grappler from Haryana has a tough road ahead even if she manages to beat the six-time World Championship medal winner. She might next face World No 2 and reigning world champion Mayu Mukaida, before locking horns with last edition’s silver medallist Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the quarterfinals if she continues her winning run.
“She is fine (after the draw) as she knows her job. I will now analyse videos of her opponent from the first bout. Vinesh might have defeated her on way to winning the Poland Open last month, but this is the World Championships. Challenges will be different now,” Akos told this daily from Kazakhstan. “We are not thinking much ahead. It will be one match at a time. In fact, she needs to be relaxed now to be well prepared for the opening bout,” he added.
Naveen in medal contention
In Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Indians finally showed some stomach for fight as Gurpreet Singh impressed in his defeat at the hands of former world champion Viktor Nemes, while Naveen stayed in medal contention, albeit with a bit of luck, here on Monday.
Naveen was the first to lose, to 2018 Pan-American champion Oscar Pino Hinds by technical superiority, but the Cuban reached the final to help the Indian stay alive in the 130kg category of Greco Roman style.
Naveen now has to first win his clash against Heiki Nabi from Estonia and then defeat Kyrgyzstan’s Murat Ramonov on Tuesday to reach the bronze medal round, which will also be played on the same day.
It was Gupreet Singh (77kg) and Manish (60kg) who brought some cheers to the dejected Indian camp by coming out triumphant in their respective first rounds convincingly.
In a sensational start, Gurpreet pinned Austria’s Michael Wagner after wriggling out of a difficult head-lock position, while Manish won his 1/16 round against Finland’s Lauri Johannes Maekhonen by technical superiority. Gurpreet later fought his heart out on the mat against world number two Serbian to make exit from the championships.