Kakran’s great escape seals gold for India
ASIAN WRESTLING 22-year-old defeats Japanese junior world champion Matsuyuki in final; Indian women win three gold and one silver
NEWDELHI:AT the warm-up area, coaches, physios and a nutritionist stood beside Divya Kakran. There was a sense of urgency. She was writhing in pain even as physios worked on her overworked muscles, loosening the knots following her three bouts in over an hour’s time.
The 22-year-old now had to be ready for her last and the toughest bout, against the Japanese junior world champion Naruha Matsuyuki—the decisive contest that could fetch her a gold medal in the 68kg category. Kakran appeared anxious but also determined.
In the first three bouts, Kakran’s muscular frame saw her power past her opponents. She had won all her contests by ‘fall’. She clearly wanted to stay ahead in the race in the fivewomen round-robin format. She was quick with her leg attacks and whenever her opponents tried to wriggle out, her grip would only tighten.
Kazakhstan’s Albina Kairgeldinova attempted to escape Kakran’s firm clutches but in vain in the first round. Mongolia’s Delgermaa Enkhsaikhan lost with a minute-and-a-half remaining and Azoda Esbergenova of Uzbekistan lasted a mere 27 seconds; Kakran was working like a mean machine, pounding her rivals and twisting and tossing them around till they gave up.
FAMILIAR OPPONENT
Matsuyuki was an opponent Kakran was familiar with. At the U-23 world championships in 2017, Kakran was denied a berth in the final by the Japanese who had gone on to win the title. The Indian had lost with seconds left on the clock.
The situation could have been repeated here too. Kakran pounced on Matsuyuki’s leg in one swift move, bringing her down on the mat and rolling her over. Matsuyuki looked shaken with the force unleashed on her.
Kakran sprinted to a 4-0 lead in the first period but the contest had only begun. Matsuyuki bounced back to level the scores in the second period.
Kakran had gone for another attack but this time the Japanese skilfully used the move to her advantage. It was a split-second counter and it trapped Kakran.
It seemed the Japanese would pin her down but this time Kakran somehow wriggled out of the brutal lock.
She then swiftly moved around gripping her opponent’s arms and took control of Matsuyuki, engaging her in a solid lock that the Japanese just could not break.
The Indian had won by fall for the fourth successive time. In front of an empty stadium in the afternoon, Kakran jumped with joy to celebrate her first gold medal at the Senior Asian Championships.
Kakran hugged her Georgian coach Vladimir Mestvirishvili —who also guided Sushil Kumar during his golden period—and her brother Dev as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Dev, two years elder, had sacrificed his wrestling career to ensure his younger sister had all the means to succeed at the top level.
He had fought in dangals and won medals at Delhi state championships.
“We have gone through financial hardship. It was difficult for my father to manage finances for both of us so I had to stop wrestling and decided to focus on Divya,” said Dev.
FAMILY CONNECTION
He not only travels with his sister, but is also her training partner. Dev analyses the bouts of her opponents and chalks out the strategy for Kakran.
“I left wrestling when I was 17 years old and since then my mission is to see my sister succeed. I go to Lucknow during camps and stay in a hotel,” he added.
The prize money from tournaments that Divya earns helps the family.
“I used to practice with my brother and that’s how wrestling started for me. I fight on the mat and Dev is the one behind my success. He is the force that has kept me going. I could not have reached this level without the sacrifices of my parents and my brother,” said Kakran.
In the last two years, Kakran has stamped her class. In 2017, she won gold at the Commonwealth Championships in Johannesburg and at the Asian Championships.
She then won bronze medals at the 2018 Commonwealth and
Asian Games. At the Asian Championships last year, she again won a bronze medal.
“It is my first gold in the senior Asian Championships and I could have just missed it in the last bout. I was in a tight situation (phas gaye thi) against the Japanese. My coach and my brother had told me not to attack, but at that moment I just took the risk. I don’t know how I turned the situation around,” she said.
“The gold medal will be a big boost ahead of the Asian Olympic qualifiers. I want to win a gold medal and qualify for the Tokyo Olympics,” said Kakran.