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Left in the lurch once, Sakshi was on her own
ROHTAK: Olympic bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik was without a coach during the most crucial phase of her career when she was aiming for a berth in the national squad
ROHTAK: Olympic bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik was without a coach during the most crucial phase of her career when she was aiming for a berth in the national squad for the Olympic qualifiers.
Shocking, but the woman grappler who gave India its first medal at Rio, was all by herself for two-and-a-half months before the December 28-31 National Championships in Delhi last year, on the basis of which the squad for the Olympic qualifiers was to be picked.
Despite the odds, she won gold at the nationals and by virtue of that was selected for two qualification tournaments — first and third — and eventually earned the Olympic quota in the last qualification event.
Sakshi, along with 10 national and international women wrestlers from the Haryana Sports Department Centre in Rohtak --- which has become the country’s wrestling hub for women --- travelled to Ambala to meet sports minister Anil Vij in mid-November, but came back disheartened.
Early in November, the state sports department transferred coach Mandeep from Rohtak to a village in Panipat and no one was brought in as a replacement for three months.
“It was the worst period for our coaching centre. Mandeep sir had helped us achieve a lot and without him we lost the momentum before the nationals. A lot of girls left the centre after his transfer,” said international wrestler Neetu. Mandeep, though, travelled to Rohtak on weekends to train his wards.
Later, when Sakshi earned the Olympic quota in early May this year, she took time out from training and went to Ambala again on May 14 to request Vij to transfer Mandeep back to Rohtak.
This time, the minister assured her that the coach would be transferred soon. But, again, it took two months for the state sports department to transfer Mandeep back. He returned in mid-July.
