High-intensity homework lined up for wrestler Vinesh Phogat

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat is expected to compete in the Yasar Dogu tournament slated from January 9 to 12 in Istanbul, Turkey.

CHENNAI: The high-altitude training in Bulgaria will come handy when wrestler Vinesh Phogat starts a high-intensity training camp in the country ahead of a Ranking Series scheduled in Rome from January 15 to 18.

The only woman wrestler from India to have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics so far has been training at the Belmeken High Mountain Sports Complex located 2,050 metres above sea level between Rhodope Mountain and Rila Mountain in sub-zero temperatures. She will return to the country on December 14.

“At high altitude, the body draws in less oxygen per breath than it would at lower altitudes. To compensate, the body starts producing more red blood cells. It stays in the body even at sea level helping athletes to absorb more oxygen for at least a week,” Woller Akos, her coach, told this daily from Bulgaria.

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“Coaches want their athletes to undertake such training either before a big competition or when the programme changes to the next level involving high-intensity training.”

Akos wishes to start the high-intensity training soon after the duo is back in the country. “Given our 12-day training programme in Bulgaria, more red blood cells will stay in Vinesh’s body at least for six days making her ready for the switch. This will help her in quickly adapting to the new training programme. This way we can move forward as far as training is concerned,” the Hungarian coach added.

The pair headed to Bulgaria on December 1 soon after the Senior National Championship held in Jalandhar wherein the wrestler won a gold in 55kg.

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The 12-day schedule is more about strengthening the core. Apart from routine physical exercises, mountain hiking, running and weightlifting are part of the schedule. It aims at the improvement of overall physical condition and performance.

The 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medallist is expected to compete in the Yasar Dogu tournament slated from January 9 to 12 in Istanbul, Turkey.

However, the tournament might be rescheduled as it is too close to the Ranking Series in Rome. If that happens, Vinesh will skip Yasar Dogu and train in Ukraine from January 9 to 15 ahead of the Ranking Series.

Vinesh switched to 53kg weight category early this year keeping the 2020 Games in mind. She is placed second behind world champion Pak Yong Mi of North Korea in the United World Wrestling rankings. If she can maintain that ranking, she will get a favourable draw in the upcoming events and even in the Games.