Newly-crowned Asian champion Navjot Kaur feels the unique honour of being the first woman wrestler from the country to win a gold medal in the continental event has compensated for the time she lost out due to injuries.
Navjot, whose last notable performance was a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games in 2014, remained out of action for more than two years due to a slip disc issue. The hunger for international success prompted her to fight back.
“In 2015, I had a slip disc problem. The back injury forced me to stay out of training for a long time. The whole of 2016 was spent in rehab. I lost out on some crucial time, but this medal has made up for it. Now I will try to achieve bigger success,” Navjot, who had previously bagged Asian silver and bronze medals, told The Hindu after claiming the 65kg title at the Asian championships in Bishkek.
Navjot, a World Cup bronze medallist, said even though only six wrestlers were the fray, her journey to the gold was not easy. “It was equally tough. It does not matter whether there are six or 10 wrestlers in a weight category. I had to fight four bouts. The number of bouts remains more or less the same in a championship. I came here to give my best.”
The 28-year-old from Tarn Taran, Punjab said her family and coaches played an important role in her progress.
“My parents, younger brother and elder sister support me whether I do well or not. Initially, I did not like wrestling. I was afraid of the sport because of the way they smack you down with so much force. My sister Navjit Kaur, a National junior silver medallist who quit wrestling due to a knee injury, urged me to take up the sport and achieve what she could not. After that I became more serious about wrestling.”
