New Delhi: Confident in her moves, sharp in attack, and resilient in defence, Antim Panghal was back to her best at the World Championships in Zagreb.
The 21-year-old clinched her second bronze medal at the prestigious event, defeating Sweden’s Emma Jonna Denise Malmgren in dominant fashion. More importantly, the performance has revived the career of one of India’s finest wrestlers after the setback and controversy surrounding her Paris Olympics campaign.
A day after her podium finish, national women’s team chief coach Virender Dahiya on Friday reminded Antim that her journey to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics had only just begun. “I had a long chat today. I told her an Olympic medal takes hard work, patience, and discipline. There’s no doubt she is our best talent, and she proved it here. But she must stay focused and avoid distractions,” Dahiya told HT from Zagreb.
Dahiya’s concerns stem from Antim’s disrupted Paris Olympics build-up. Her campaign ended early on the mat and embraced controversy off it. She was charged with a disciplinary breach after allegedly handing her Games accreditation to her sister. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) intervened and sent her and her support staff—including personal coaches and a physio—back home.
During a crucial phase of preparation, Antim was engaged in a tussle with the IOA, seeking approval for her personal support staff members to join her in Paris. This was despite the national contingent already having designated coaches and physios. According to national camp officials, young Indian athletes often face pressure from personal coaches and sports management firms pushing for overseas exposure and personal staff inclusion.
There was no national camp at the time with WFI itself in suspension. Her training akhada was shut down and she had to relocate. She competed in just one tournament before the Olympics and when national coaches enquired about her preparation for Paris, they did not get a satisfactory reply. “In Paris, her focus wasn’t on the mat. She lost valuable time trying to arrange accreditation for her support staff,” Dahiya, who was in Paris, recalled.
The issues persisted post Olympics when the camp resumed in February, Antim sought permission to train independently in Japan with her personal team. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) denied the request. She then left the camp in May citing medical grounds, and later asked for her personal physio to be attached to the camp. It was again denied by the WFI as there were already three physios available.
“When she returned to camp, she was unsure how to move forward. Paris had been a huge setback, and too many people around her were advising her to train abroad,” said Dahiya, who eventually spoke to her personal coaches, asking them not to jeopardize her future. “Why go train alone when you have the best facilities at the national camp?”
WFI has made national camps mandatory. Also, in a meeting with TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) officials, national coaches stressed that they should be consulted for wrestlers requesting for overseas training and should be approved only after federation review. A WFI official points to an elite wrestler training in Japan ahead of Paris even returning with an injury.
Antim eventually approached Dahiya again, requesting to be allowed to compete at the Hungary Ranking Series. Although she was no longer in camp and the team had been finalized, Dahiya convinced the WFI to include her. “She promised to return and stay committed. She’s too talented to be left out,” he said.
WFI made a special request to the organisers. Antim, who had won the Ulaanbaatar Open in May, followed up with another title at the Hungary Ranking Series in July.
