CHENNAI: Around the same time last year, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt was fighting a few demons in his head. The recurrence of a knee injury, which had harried him for most part of his career, forced him out of competitions for almost a year. Then followed the international wrestling federation’s scrapping of his weight category, prompting a jump from 60 to 65 kg.
The London Games bronze medallist admits he wasn’t without doubts. “More than the weight switch, I was concerned about the injury. Some doctors I consulted abroad told me they can’t guarantee my return to the sport. But fortunately a doctor in Mumbai assured me that I could revive my international career. In another year or so I was back in the grid, It’s not always easy returning from injuries, and I’ve experienced that quite a few times in my career. You need to win at least a couple of bouts to get back into the groove. I’ve always been confident of my abilities, but you still need that one good fight to make yourself convinced that everything is back to normal, to feel I’m in the zone,” he recollected.
His doubts were misplaced as he not only made a resounding comeback, but also transitioned smoothly into the higher weight category, winning four gold medals in as many tournaments. “The key when you switch weight categories is to build for the corresponding strength, for I’ll be fighting proven performers in that category. So I sat with the coaches and chalked out the diet and fitness regime. Once I fully recovered from the injury, I began wrestling with guys in the 65-plus categories. So I was able to build confidence and prepare mentally for the bouts,” he pointed out.
But more vital was actual match practice. The International Wrestling Championship in Sassari last year provided just that. “I beat the 2013 world champion, and my confidence surged ahead of the Commonwealth and Asian Games. I felt I was comfortable in the new category. Then everything fell into place,” he said.
By the time he landed in Sassari again last month, he had in his cabinet a couple more medals of the golden hue, those he wheedled out in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, the latter he considers as precious as the London bronze. He celebrated his return to the picturesque Italian city with another gold, the perfect portent for the World Championship in Las Vegas in September leading up to the Rio Games.
The 32-year is all fire and brimstone to clinch the elusive World Championship gold. “I’ve won medals in all major events except the World Championship. So naturally I’m motivated. I skipped the Worlds in Budapest last year to keep myself in top shape for the Asian Games. So I don’t want to miss out on a medal this time,” he revealed.
Also is the incentive of a direct Olympic berth. “That would help me focus fully on the Rio Games. I can pick and choose events and keep myself fresh, mentally and physically,” he asserted.
The mental aspect of the sport is somewhat understated, but Yogeshwar specifies it’s as crucial as the physical part. “You need that clarity in your head to make the right moves at the right time,” he states. And though Yogeshwar, frazzled mane, stony eyes and all, comes across as all brawn and raw power, there are few wrestlers as cerebral as him around. Every medal he secures is a glowing vindication of that.