Bronze medallist inspires wrestlers
TAYLA Ford’s advice to girls taking up wrestling is more about having the right attitude than anything else.
The New Zealand Commonwealth Games bronze medallist entered in the senior women’s 68kg class at the New Zealand National Olympic Wrestling Championships at the Gore Town and Country Club at the weekend but did not compete as she was the only one in the class.
It was important when training with other wrestlers to treat it like it was a competition, Ford (29) said.
‘‘Be aggressive, be focused. ‘‘You don’t have to be nice to your opponent.
‘‘You’ve got to train the way you are going to compete.’’
For the past four years she had lived in Australia after finding a coach there who ‘‘matched my style’’.
She worked four parttime jobs which fitted around her training schedule.
‘‘Basically the perfect life in order to carry on training fulltime and to work.
‘‘It’s a bit full on but I enjoy it.’’
She had been wrestling since she was 7 years old.
She won her first bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and came close to winning another in 2018.
‘‘I missed out by one point for a bronze in the Gold Coast games.’’
She had showed that women could achieve in the sport.
‘‘It’s good to set a benchmark for others to know that there is more than what is happening within your nation.’’
About 130 wrestlers took part in the championships.