Antim goes for the jugular on the counter

In the semi-finals of her first worldwide senior occasion, Antim Panghal confronted off towards Aktenge Keunimjaeva on the Asian Championships. In the match, there was a degree within the first spherical the place Keunimjaeva has a maintain on Antim’s neck and her arm and it looks as if the Uzbekistan wrestler is answerable for the state of affairs. Suddenly each their profiles rise and Antim’s eyes lock onto Keunimjaeva’s leg and he or she lunges for it. Keunimjaeva goes from a place of energy to out of the blue discovering the two-time U20 World Champion gaining management of her again for a takedown.

While Bajrang Punia is likely to be famed for his legendary endurance and people late bursts of factors, Antim Panghal, in her first senior World Championships look, needs to indicate what she confirmed in that match towards Keunimjaeva – that she has the flexibility to show any place of assault for her opponent, right into a place of energy.

“Ab koi puri bout khade khade toh nikaal nahi sakta. Kabhi toh vaar karna hoga,” stated Antim to the Indian Express earlier than leaving for the Worlds. (No one can simply stand and vile time away in a bout. At some level it’s important to assault me.)

That philosophy of eager to counter from any state of affairs is one thing that Antim has needed to showcase. Usually, you see spurts of velocity and energy in her takedowns, particularly within the first spherical the place she likes to go on the assault. But check her additional and also you discover a wrestler who’s prepared to go wherever the bout has to and earn her factors from no matter positions that she finds herself in.

Most Read

1
Jawan field workplace assortment day 12: Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster nears Rs 900 crore gross worldwide

2
Farida Jalal recollects the time when Amitabh Bachchan-Jaya Bachchan had been courting: ‘They would pick me up at night, we would go for long drives’

See More

“There is no such thing as an unfamiliar position for her. Whatever the position on the mat, she can work from there,” says her coach Bhagat Singh. One of the methods he ensures that she’s prepared for that is to easily throw the kitchen sink at her. During coaching, Antim will get a number of sparring companions who goal particular areas of her physique. Each wrestler is brisker than her and every time she has to discover a strategy to convert an assault on her right into a takedown.

Her favorite strategy to counter although is the one she confirmed towards Keunimjaeva. “I like to grab onto my opponent’s neck and quickly move behind their body to get two quick points. That is also a form of counter because usually I can only reach the neck when an opponent’s attack has failed to grab me. It isn’t like I’m just waiting for the opportunity to counter my opponent. That situation is a matter of position and can also depend on the score and time of the bout,” says Antim.

At these World Championships, her first bout is ready to be towards Dominique Parrish – the defending World Champion within the 53kg class. Antim has already teched her up to now 11-0 at a rating sequence however dealing with a troublesome opponent in the beginning of the World Championships is a activity in itself – particularly when that opponent is aware of how good you’re.