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Haryana’s 16-year-old wrestler Suraj Vashishth: Kuchh toh bada kaam kiya hai!
Wrestler, Suraj Vashishth, 16, scripted history for the country by bringing home the gold medal from the recent Greco-Roman U-17 World Wrestling Championships in Italy. Bagging gold for India in this tournament, after a long wait of 32 years, has brought him major accolades, and the teen shares his jubilation on achieving this monumental feat.
Gracefully accepting accolades being showered on him is Haryana lad Suraj Vashishth, who made history by winning a gold medal for India after 32 years, at the recent Greco-Roman U-17 World Wrestling Championships in Rome, Italy. As much as he is happy, given the magnanimity of the occasion, the 16- year-old is still trying to process the immense attention that’s constantly coming his way.
“Aisa lag raha hai ekdum se zindagi badal gayi. Pehle mera airport pe swagat hua, ab gaon mein bhi tayyari chal rahi hai,” informs Vashishth, sharing, “Hamesha jab training pe jaya karta tha tab akela hota tha. Lekin ab, jahan bhi ja raha hoon wahan pe log aakar selfies ya photos mang rahe hain. Aisa swagat dekhkar mehsoos hota hai ki kuchh toh bada kaam kiya hai!”
Ecstatic, but with a goal chalked in his mind, this athlete had flown to Rome with a dream. “Competition ke liye jane se pehle mere dimaag mein yeh baat thi, ‘Pehla world champion banega toh tera naam hoga’. Saare tareekon ki suvidhayein hongi. Dimaag mein tha ki history banegi ek prakar se. Ab bahut achha lag raha hai, bahut khushi ho rahi hai. Pariwar, deshwasi aur dost, sabhi khush hain,” shares this young sportstar who defeated Azerbaijan wrestler Faraim Mustafayev by technical superiority 11-0 in the final to snatch the first spot.
Born and brought up in Rithal village of Rohtak district (Haryana), this rising star remains grounded and mentions those who have played a significant role by ensuring he is able to realise his ambitions. “Mera bachpan se sapna tha ki main wrestler banu. Mujhe 5-6 saal hogaye apne sapne ke liye mehnat karte hue. Lekin bahut logon ka haath hai meri safalta ke peeche. Mere parivaar ne bachpan se mujhe support kara. Mere room partner ne mujhe hamesha financial help di aur baaki senior athletes ne bhi hamesha har tareeke se support kara.”
Now having clinched a gold for India in one major tournament, Vashisht is targeting greater glory! “Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia... sab itne ache pehlwan hain, mujhe bhi uss level tak jana hai. Achha lagega agar unse seekhne ko mile. Bajrang bhaiyya ne bhi post kiya tha (mere bare mein), bahut achha laga woh padh ke,” he recalls, adding, “Ab mera sapna hai ki mai Olympics aur Asian Games mein bhi gold medal laun desh ke liye.”
Author tweets @karansethi042
