NEW DELHI: The Sports Ministry has approved Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's high-altitude training under former Olympic silver medallist Serafim Barzakov in Belmeken, Bulgaria.
Three-time Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Phogat, accompanied by her physio Ashwini Patil, is training in Belmeken, which is a high-altitude training area situated approximately 2600m above sea level.
The 19-day international camp, which began on November 7, is also expected to have other top wrestlers such as Bilyana Dudova (2021 World Championship Gold medallist) and Evelina Nikolova (2020 Olympic Bronze medallist).
The ministry said Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) "would cover Vinesh and her physio's flight, accommodation, local travel, and food costs among others."
"TOPS will also provide her an out-of-pocket allowance of USD 50 per day for any other expense she might incur," it said.
Under TOPS, the ministry will also financially assist Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia in taking part in the Bill Farrell International Wrestling Championship, which will be held in New York from November 18-19.
"The competition would give Bajrang a chance to compete against some of the prominent and upcoming wrestlers in the USA, who were one of the best Wrestling nations in Men's freestyle events at the recently concluded 2022 World Wrestling Championships."