For four months now Pooja Dhanda has been trying to stay fit within the confines of her home in Hisar. But the wrestler admits full-time training cannot be replicated at home.
Handling change
“The first month was very difficult because we are not used to being home for so long. Even when we did, there would be a fixed training routine. This time it’s different because we cannot step out and, to be honest, even our families weren’t sure how to handle the change,” the 26-year old told The Hindu.
Pooja managed to get a mat at home in March and has a local wrestler staying with her. She is doing everything to ensure her safety.
“The boy I train with stays very close but hasn’t gone home,” she said. Also she is waiting for the Wrestling Federation of India or SAI to spell out future plans.
Injured and in rehabilitation for almost the whole of 2019, Pooja is understandably in a tough place. She missed the 2019 Worlds due to injuries, followed by defeat to 18-year-old Anshu Malik in the 57kg trials for the now-rescheduled Asian Qualifiers, and was out of the reckoning for the Tokyo Olympics.
With the WFI indicating that there would be fresh trials in 2021, Pooja has another chance to make the cut for Tokyo. But with a new lot of juniors becoming eligible next year, it would also increase competition in what is already one of the most crowded weight categories.
“A lot of sports have resumed training, including boxing, but unlike others, wrestlers cannot train properly without a sparring partner. In that sense, we are the most desperate to get back to full-time training.
“But with all the restrictions, I am not sure if that will be possible even if there is a camp.
“Of course, if it becomes mandatory then there will be no option. Let us wait and watch,” she said.
