CANDHINAGAR: THE then 19-year-old Pincky Balhara hogged the limelight during the 2018 Asian Games when she won silver in her discipline (52kg). Pincky, who hails from Neb Sarai in South Delhi, had finished on the podium countering setbacks both at professional as well as personal fronts. She had lost her father, grandfather and a cousin within a span of a few months before the Jakarta Games.
What made it worse was her failure to qualify for the judo national team picked for the quadrennial event. She, however, appeared in kurash trials given the similarities between the two sports and made it to the national fold. Rest, as they say, is history.
Kurash is a form of upright jacket wrestling native to Uzbekistan. Two athletes, wearing jackets of different colours compete in it and try to throw one another to the ground. If thrown to the back, victory is declared.
Despite winning the biggest medal of her career in kurash, Pincky now wanted to focus solely on judo. Her preference meant she has decided to give selection trials scheduled on October 9 to pick up the Indian team for the World Kurash Championship a miss. Her immediate goal is to win a judo medal for Delhi at the ongoing 2022 National Games here in Gujarat. The kurash Worlds is scheduled to be held in Pune in November this year.
"I know kurash has given me the identity but judo is my first love. Even at the 2018 Asiad, I wanted to represent the country as a judoka but failed to make it to the national team. Now, I have decided that I will compete in judo only," Pincky, who will compete in 52kg weight category at the Games, told this daily on the sidelines of the judo competitions here at the Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar on Friday.
The Delhi athlete also highlighted the reason behind her decision. "Judo is my priority as the competition is tougher in this sport. If I win a judo medal, it's importance will be more. I am grateful that I won a medal for the country in Asiad but ever since I started my life in professional sports, I always wanted to be a judoka."
Pincky, posted as a havildar with the Customs Department, admits fellow players taunt her for competing both in judo and kurash. "What's wrong with it? Kurash is quite popular in Uzbekistan and players are encouraged there to play both judo and kurash. Then why can't a player compete in both sports in India," she added.
She won a gold medal in her weight category in the senior national championships held ahead of the Games in Lucknow. Top 16 players from the nationals in each weight category were selected for the Gujarat event. However, Pincky doesn't want to get complacent even as she is expected to meet opponents, whom she had already beaten a few days ago, at the event.
"If you play against a player more than once then you know her strengths and weaknesses and it's vice-versa. So it is both an advantage and a disadvantage. No one wants to lose and they are also here to win medals for their respective states. I hope I will give my best and bag my first medal of the National Games," said Pincky, who will be competing in her first National Games. "Given the format, a judoka has to win four bouts to finish on top of the podium and Pincky seems ready for the challenge.