As a younger aspirant on the Pratap Sports activities College, Kharkhoda in Haryana, Sajan Bhanwala was not thought of match for freestyle wrestling. He was seen missing the boldness to deal with stronger children. That’s when the coaches determined to attempt him out in Greco-Roman fashion. Bhanwala wasn’t spectacular in it both to start out with, however confirmed such transformation that it left the coaches in awe.
Now 23, he made a huge impact in worldwide age group tournaments by profitable medals on the sub-junior and junior World Championships. Bhanwala’s exploits had stopped stunning his coach Rajbir Chhikara lengthy earlier than he turned the primary Indian wrestler to win a Greco-Roman medal on the U-23 World Championships in Spain final week, an occasion thought of subsequent solely to the senior world meet. He was solely delivering on expectations although Indian wrestlers are principally identified for his or her excellence in freestyle.
Following Bhanwala’s (77kg) feat, Nitesh (97kg) and Vikash (72kg) too secured bronze medals. The success in Spain comes after three Greco-Roman wrestlers—Sunil Kumar, Arjun Halakurki and Neeraj—gained medals on the Asian championships earlier this yr.
These are encouraging indicators for the Greco-Roman fashion that has been uncared for for lengthy in India’s wrestling area dominated by freestyle.
Freestyle wrestling is steeped in Indian epics, and people bouts invariably appeal to most wrestlers, mother and father and coaches. It brings fame and medals adopted by jobs and prize cash. Greco-Roman for lengthy was principally taken up by wrestlers who both switched from freestyle as a consequence of intense competitors or sought a profession revival after principally knee accidents.
In method and execution, the abilities required to excel in Greco-Roman are completely different from freestyle. Strikes in Greco-Roman is confined to the higher physique. Holds under the waist will not be allowed; the wrestler should use the higher physique to execute strikes and throws to attain factors or pin his opponent.
The fashion although is without doubt one of the oldest within the Olympics going again to the primary trendy Olympics in Athens in 1896. Nevertheless, in India most wrestlers graduate from mud akhadas (pits) which can be preferrred to hone freestyle abilities.
“You want good higher physique power, again flexibility, gripping and talent to know and study technical abilities in Greco-Roman,” says Chhikara.
“Mud wrestling shouldn’t be preferrred to study the fundamentals in Greco-Roman. It could solely be discovered whenever you practice on the mat from the start. Largely mother and father and youngsters select freestyle as a result of that’s the place you get the awards and rewards. It is usually pure development from mud wrestling and they’ll naturally be inclined in the direction of freestyle,” the previous worldwide mentioned.
That appears to be starting to vary now with Greco fashion gaining extra acceptability amongst home wrestlers. Nonetheless, there are solely a handful of academies that particularly practice Greco-Roman wrestlers from a younger age. Pratap Sports activities College is one. It presently has round 30 wrestlers coaching in Greco-Roman. Two of the U-23 Worlds bronze medallists—Bhanwala and Nitesh—are the academy trainees.
“We choose children on completely different parameters based mostly on their athletic power and wrestling actions as they develop after which shift them to Greco-Roman. From 13 to 17 years after they develop particular abilities, we divide their stream both to freestyle or Greco-Roman. There are devoted coaches who’re former Greco Roman wrestlers,” says Chhikara.
Extra home competitions, worldwide publicity and common nationwide camps have helped Greco-Roman wrestling develop in India. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) desires to offer equal precedence to this fashion and targets an Olympic medal by the 2028 Olympics.
“We’re getting higher within the self-discipline,” says long-time chief nationwide coach Hargobind Singh. “Lots of issues have helped. An important factor is that youngsters are actually beginning early in Greco-Roman. The federation can be pushing it to the forefront. There are extra home competitions at each age-group. We’re additionally competing in additional worldwide meets,” he says.
This yr, Greco-Roman wrestlers have been within the camps for seven to eight months and the federation too began a rating sequence. “It is extremely vital to have lengthy camps for Greco-Roman. Once they return to their academies or akhadas, they aren’t capable of practice correctly. They don’t get to spar or have coaches to assist them with particular abilities wanted for this self-discipline,” he says.
Bhanwala may mould himself as a result of he skilled solely with Greco-Roman wrestlers, together with Chhikara, from a younger age. He was 12-years-old when he made the swap; early sufficient to grasp the fundamentals.
“He was not very sturdy along with his legs however we seen he saved getting higher in Greco-Roman actions. He had good higher physique power, and had the explosive energy that one wants for fast throws from an early age. He constructed on that and have become a totally completely different wrestler in Greco-Roman,” says Chhikara.
How Greco-Roman, freestyle differ
In Greco-Roman, it’s unlawful to know the opponent under the belt line, journey him, or to make use of the legs actively for a transfer.
In freestyle, it’s allowed to seize the leg/s of the opponent, to journey him/her and to make use of the legs actively for a transfer.
In Greco-Roman, wrestlers rely extra on headlocks, physique locks and arm drags. An offensive method known as suplex is used the place the rival is lifted in a excessive arch whereas they fall backward
Since legs can’t be used on the mat, Greco-Roman wrestlers use methods like gut-wrenches and physique locks to show the opponent’s shoulders to the mat and get the pin.
Parterre place (on the mat): Performs an vital position in Greco-Roman. A passive wrestler is penalised with “parterre place”. He should lie on his abdomen on the centre of the mat whereas his opponent will get the benefit of a maintain to attain factors.
Utilizing a throw, freestyle wrestlers can toss the opponent and regain contact with them when they’re on the canvas to safe a good place. In Greco-Roman, contact must be maintained with opponents all through the takedown.