\u201cOur camp is going well. We are all training together with the same mindset of getting a medal for our country. It feels good to be one of the six girls going. The Asian Games are a big deal because they happen only once every four years. Once they are gone, you have to wait another four years,\u201d said Antim.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For now, her attention is firmly on the Asian Games, with technique forming a major part of her preparation. The presence of Japanese coach Kosei Akaishi at the camp, who also is the discipline\u2019s head coach at Inspire Institute of Sport, has also given the wrestlers an opportunity to learn and add to their game, while the team environment has helped push everyone to improve together.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe are mainly working on technique right now. We also have coach (Kosei) Akaishi from Japan who has been helping and teaching us a lot. The Indian team camps are very useful because we all learn a lot from each other. When we work together, it brings out the best in all of us,\u201d she added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The significance of representing India is not lost on Antim, who has already experienced the pressure and pride that comes with competing at the highest level. Her journey in wrestling began because of her elder sister, a kabaddi player who introduced her to the sport. Years later, one of her biggest early milestones came when she won the Junior World Championship - without even knowing at the time that she had become the first Indian to win the title.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMy elder sister was a kabaddi player and she got me into wrestling. When I won the Junior World Championship, I didn't even know that no Indian had won it before. I only found out when I was leaving and my coach told me at the airport that no Indian had ever come first. That was when I realised how special it was,\u201d Antim recalled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That same journey has been supported by IIS since the 2022 Commonwealth trials, when the institute first sponsored her. From physiotherapy and equipment to the wider demands of training as a high-performance athlete, Antim says the support has allowed her to stay focused on the work.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn 2022, during the Commonwealth trials, IIS sponsored me and they have been supporting me ever since. Whether it is physio, equipment or anything else, they have always supported me. They have helped me in every aspect,\u201d she said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That same journey has been supported by IIS since the 2022 Commonwealth trials, when the institute first sponsored her. From physiotherapy and equipment to the wider demands of training as a high-performance athlete, Antim says the support has allowed her to stay focused on the work.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMehnat karne se sab ho jaata hai (Hard work is the key to everything). I will give my all in the World Championship trials after the Asian Games and hopefully, through those trials, qualify for the Olympics,\u201d Antim said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n