Gold medal in Rome shows I am on right track in Olympic year: Vinesh Phogat

Her 'ground wrestling' remains a work in progress but Vinesh Phogat on Saturday avowed that a solid gold medal-winning performance in Rome shows that she is on the right track in the Olympic year.

Competing in the first Ranking Series event of the 2020 season, Vinesh downed two tough Chinese rivals on her way to the 53kg gold medal bout, in which she overpowered Ecudor's Luisa Elizabeth Valverde.

"Competing at an international event tests our training. It tells us whether we are moving in the right direction or not? So this result shows we are on right track since it's big year, it' an Olympic year," Vinesh, India's big medal hope at the Tokyo Games, told PTI from Rome.

She won by technical superiority against Ukraine's Khrystyna Bereza (10-0) and China's Lannuan Luo (15-5) before getting the better of Qianyu Pang (4-2) in the semifinal.

"At this event, I competed with girls I had never wrestled before and against Pang I was wrestling for the third time. It was important to know if her style has changed or not. These tournaments help in assessing yourself and the rivals too."
"In 50kg, I knew each and every rival. Now in 53kg, also I have a fair idea against whom I have to use power and where I need to wrestle smartly. I can say that 60 to 70 percent I am there."
"The Ecuador girl was also good. When you seem them practice it's different but on mat it's different. I needed to get a feel of all contenders, who I might be facing in Tokyo."