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The biggest positive to come out of JSW-supported Narsingh Yadav’s bronze-medal winning effort at the World Wrestling Championships 2015 was the belief that the 26-year-old belonged right at the top of the wrestling circuit. “This was perhaps my last chance to make an impression. I have won medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games but winning a medal at a platform like the Worlds is something special. You get a lot of confidence from such a victory and I am currently in a very positive frame of mind,” he said.
Narsingh defeated France’s Zelimkhan Khadjiev in the bronze-medal match of the 74-kg category in dramatic fashion. Trailing 12-4 with just 40 seconds to go, Narsingh pulled off a spectacular Dhak, a move normally reserved for the traditional mud Akharas. A vice-like grip on the head allowed Narsingh to flip his French opponent through the air landing on his back and managed to keep him down for five seconds clinching a glorious victory by fall.
“It wasn’t the ideal situation to be in. The first round I think I did better. I controlled the pace of the bout, picked up points. In the second, my opponent really stepped it up. He picked up points quickly and put me under pressure. However, I was confident of my own skill-set. I knew I had nothing to lose and I just went for it, using the Dhak to great effect. I am just happy I could win the medal after such a dramatic last match,” said Narsingh.
In light of Narsingh's bronze-medal winning effort and his splendid run through the World Wrestling Championships, he won three out of five bouts by a fall verdict, JSW announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for the grappler.
The Indian also won a quota place in the 74-kg category for the Rio 2016 Olympics by virtue of his bronze-medal finish, becoming the first Indian wrestler to seal a berth for next year’s Summer Olympics. “Winning a quota with almost a year to go for the Olympics is a great thing. I can use this time now for preparing myself fully and with single-minded determination. I do not need to compete in any qualifiers and I can use this time to weed out my mistakes and improve in certain key areas that my coaches have identified,” he said.
Who will board the flight to Rio in the 74-kg category is one question that has been swirling around ever since Narsingh won the quota. The grappler said that while it was not his job to worry about selection, he would leave no stone unturned in order to be as fit and ready for Rio 2016 as possible. "It is the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) who will select the wrestler for the 74-kg category. I am going to ensure that my fitness and form are right up there. Till now, whichever wrestler has won the quota I have seen him represent the nation at the Olympics and I think this time the same policy will be followed," he said.
JSW has been supporting the Mumbai-born Narsingh for the past two years, providing him with high-quality foreign exposure, training, apparel, supplements and access to a dedicated team of physiotherapists.
“JSW has been of immense support. Be it training in the United States or getting specific nutritional supplements, they have always backed me firmly. I am really thankful to them for their support and constant encouragement. JSW has ensured that I focus only on my training and fitness, allowing me to dedicate everything towards earning bigger honours,” he said.
Mustafa Ghouse, CEO JSW Sports, said that while the entire group was massively proud of Narsingh’s achievement, there was much to be done in the run-up to the Rio 2016 Olympics. “Narsingh has given us a glimpse of his potential with the bronze at the World Wrestling Championships. It is a fantastic achievement and we are committed to providing him every kind of support to ensure that he has the perfect platform to excel at the Rio Olympics,” he said.
JSW had sent the wrestlers on a month-long training trip to Colorado Springs where the group trained at the United States Olympic Training Centre. A dedicated physiotherapist who is available for consultation all-year round has been provided by JSW to both the men and women wrestlers that it supports. In addition to this, all the wrestlers have regular access to renowned strength and conditioning coaches, sports scientists, nutritionists and sports psychologists.
Eight wrestlers supported by JSW were part of the Indian contingent for the World Wrestling Championships. While Narsingh won bronze, Bajrang Punia lost in the bronze-medal match of the 61-kg category. Amit Kumar was eliminated at the pre-quarterfinal stage while 70-kg wrestler Arun Kumar reached the quarterfinals before bowing out. In the women’s freestyle section, Babita Kumari went out at the quarterfinal stage in the 53-kg category while Geeta Phogat, Vinesh and Navjot all exited in the opening rounds.
Narsingh Yadav’s medal record
Commonwealth Games 2010 – Gold (74-kg)
Asian Games 2014 – Bronze (74-kg)
Asian Wrestling Championships – Bronze (74 kg)
World Wrestling Championships – Bronze (74 kg)
About JSW Sports
The JSW Sports Excellence Program promotes sporting excellence and offers high quality training, support and international exposure to chosen athletes across five sports. The JSW Sports Excellence Program currently supports 39 athletes over five disciplines, namely; athletics, boxing, judo, wrestling and swimming. JSW Sports Excellence Program supported athletes are offered a comprehensive support system ranging from effective injury rehabilitation to nutritional support, regular medical check-ups and regular consultations with some of the top sports scientists and coaches across the globe.
