Antim Panghal fought well with all her opponents and won with a 10-0 margin to declare a clash with World under-20 bronze medallist Priyanshi Prajapati who represented MP. Antim defeated her 9-0 in the final at the National Games in Gujarat.
We spoke to her exclusively, excerpts:
Q. Antim, so how do you take this win of your at National Games?
A. I am overjoyed, feeling proud and feel more prepared for the U 23 World Championships than before. I consider it as a warm up match and good moral boosting match for World Championship. Even Asian Games trial are approaching and I now feel confident enough that I will compete efficiently and will win medal again. Also, would like to thank my coaches Vikas Bhardwaj, Lily Pehelwan, Bhagat Sihag and Jeetendra Kumar.
Q. What are the preparations going on for Asian Games, any change in techniques taught by your coaches or any changes in your diet and regime?
A. No, not as such as I have just landed in Delhi, they have suggested me to take rest for a day or two. May be after that they are planning to train me rigorously for the U 23 World Championships and also onwards for the Asian Games trials.
Yes, they of course have asked me to take certain diet precautions before the training commences which I have already taken into consideration.
Q. Who is your inspiration amongst the wrestlers? What is your dream?
A. My inspiration is Pehelwan Neelam and my dream is to qualify the trials for Asian games and Paris Olympics.
Q. You defeated Priyanshi Prajapati of MP with a good margin indeed, was it challenging or was it just a cakewalk for you?
A. To be honest, it was just a cakewalk for me, because she belonged to the 50kl category, but on paper she was fighting for category of 53kls. So, my coach told me before the fight that you have to gain as many points as you can because you have all the advantage. There was no question of losing this fight against her. So, I was already into that positive frame of mind that this belongs to me. And also, I gave my 100 percent because I didn’t want to take a single chance of giving her a single point. Don’t think about the win, think about giving your best.
Q. How did you find Gujarat and Gujaratis?
A. Oh! They are just too sweet. They love simplicity and are very humble too. They talk so politely and softly that it comes as an extreme culture contrast to the place from where I come. Haryana (giggles). We are so hard hitting, straight forward in speech. But yeah I love my state too, for its simplicity and generosity. In Gujarat, I observed that whenever I ask for any support, no one ever denied, they were so warm and welcoming. Full of humanity.