KANNUR: When Anjumol Joseph gave Kerala a National Games medal in wrestling, after a gap of 13 years, at Indoor Stadium, Mundayad, here on Monday, the venue erupted with cheer amid emotion-packed scenes. Former world champion, Sushil Kumar, was also at the stadium to shower praise on the Kerala wrestler.
Anjumol’s bronze medal in the female free style 75 kg category is indeed a gift to her long-time coach and mentor Jasmine George, who bagged the bronze medal in wrestling for Kerala in the 2001 National Games held in Punjab. Anju defeated Snehal Pardeshi of Maharashtra. Anju’s father Joseph Mathew, a timber loading worker by profession, ran to the mat from the gallery and hugged his victorious daughter. Anju could not believe her eyes first as Joseph kept his presence at the venue in secrecy fearing she would lose concentration. Born to Joseph and Sini at Kilirooparambil, Theekoyi near Eratupetta, Kottayam, Anju was interested in athletics from childhood but her distinct talents in wrestling were noticed by Jasmine, who was then a physical education teacher at the Alphonsa Girls HS, Vakakkad.“When Anjumol was a class V student itself I noticed hints of a wrestler in her. When a Central Sports Hostel was opened in Kottayam, I was appointed there and urged her to join,” recollects Jasmine with pride. “Anju’s victory is one of the happiest moments in my life but she could perform even better.“ It is a fact that she had to compete with senior and experienced wrestler like Jyoti from Delhi, who years ago tested her strength against me,” an excited
Jasmine told ‘Express’ over phone from Kottayam. Anjumol’s current coach Giridhar V R was thrilled to watch the cheery spectators at Kannur who according to him offered wholesome encouragement to Kerala wrestlers.
“The stadium is of international standards except the fact that it lacks air conditioning,” added Giridhar, who was sharing pleasantries with Anju. Anjumol, now a first year BCom student of CMS College, Kottayam, had earlier won bronze in the 2014 National Inter-University Championship, held in Haryana, and a bronze medal in the under-18 category of the National Sub Junior Meet, held in Himachal Pradesh in 2012.