Sarita Mor treats her World No. 1 ranking as a source of motivation to work towards landing a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Sarita bagged a bronze medal in the World championships last year, an Asian championship bronze in April and a gold in the just-concluded Bolat Turylkhanov Ranking Series event in Almaty to become the top-ranked wrestler in the women’s 59kg category.
“Whether it’s happiness or sadness, I have a balanced approach towards both. Of course, the No.1 ranking provides a bit of motivation,” Sarita told The Hindu.
Change in approach
Sarita, who claimed consecutive Asian championship titles in 2020 and 2021 and stunned defending champion Linda Morais of Canada in the first round on her way to a medal in the World championships in Oslo last year, said she started getting good results after changing her approach.
Sarita credited her wrestler husband Rahul Mann for the improvement. “For the last five years, Rahul has been working with me to change my game. I am a learner. I am trying to bring that change into my game. I have not reached 100% of what I can do, but I am determined to achieve it.
“Earlier my game was very defensive. Now it has become attacking.”
Rahul said, “Sarita used to wait for the opponent’s moves to launch her counterattacks. I asked, ‘If the opponent does not initiate an attack, will you not do anything?’”
Ready for the challenge
Sarita looks forward to doing well in bigger events, such as forthcoming World championships, Asian Games and the Olympics. “I know I have to compete in 57kg in the big events. It is going to be tough with a lot of good wrestlers competing in this weight in our country. But I am ready for the challenge.
“This time I will try to get the belt (at the World championships). But the main focus is on winning a medal in the Olympics. Now I am confident that I can get medals in top competitions,” said Sarita.
