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Reetika Hooda's fitness regime: Story of India's first Olympic qualifier in heavy weight class of 76kg
Going through the painful and energy-sucking process of weight-cutting is a nightmare for wrestlers but Reetika Hooda did not have to worry about it.
Wrestlers usually have to go without food, sometimes even without water, to ensure that the weight scale does not tilt against them.
But Reetika's team ensures that she takes additional small meals to gain strength, and chicken was added to the meal plan, defying the family tradition.
She goes through all these because the 22-year-old wrestler from Rohtak used to compete in 72kg but last year she jumped weight class to see if she can succeed in the Olympic weight-class of 76kg.
She not only succeeded, but pushed out established wrestlers like Kiran Bishnoi, whom she idolises, to qualify for the Paris Olympics after crowning herself as the U23 World Champion.
Her natural body weight is around 74-75 kg. So, it was never a great struggle to bring it to 72, not even now. Her body type is such that weight drops quickly.
But the real struggle is to take the weight to 78kg.
"I just munch, train, munch, train and repeat. Of course, it's healthy protein intake. I have a different struggle," she said with a hearty laugh just before a training session.
"I have 3 meals in my schedule and I have to eat in between as well. Before sleeping also, I take something. My nutritionist Mitali decides what I need to eat and mother ensures that I have that."
"I had to start eating chicken for protein intake. It was difficult to develop a taste for that. My mother tried a lot of combinations and now I have settled for a semi-gravy type chicken. No one eats chicken in my family," she added.
Her mother Neelam is aware of the requirement and learnt a few chicken recipes from YouTube.
"We don't eat chicken at home. So, I had no clue how to prepare it. I was told that she had to be given home-made food. So, I took help from YouTube to learn. I don't like washing it (chicken), I get a strange feeling. But I do it for my daughter," said Neelam, a school level basketball player.
As she prepares for the Paris Olympics, Reetika reveals that qualifying for 2024 Games was not even the target, and actually, they have exceeded their own expectations.
"I was considered a probable for 2028 Games. Last year's U23 world title motivated me to do well at senior level."
THE JOURNEY: SWITCH FROM HANDALL
Reetika is a strong believer in destiny. She says she can do what is in her hands -- working hard -- rest everything will fall in place if it had to. Her career underlines that belief.
She did not even pick wrestling as her preferred sport. She used to play handball and even made it to the state team for the junior Nationals but as fate would have it, her father suggested that she pick an individual sport instead of a team game.
The journey began in 2015.
"My father took me to Chhotu Ram Akhada. I was asked to perform a certain attack by my coach Mandeep and he was happy the way I did it, so they took me in. Now wrestling is everything. I eat, sleep, dream about wrestling. I can't think of anything else," said Reetika.
Neelam said it was Reetika's father Jagbir who wanted her daughter to pick an individual game.
"She was picked to play Nationals as goalie of the state handball team. She came home and broke the story about her selection. Her father asked if she really wants to pursue sport seriously and when Reetka nodded, he said you should play an individual game.
"He asked Reetika her preferred sport and she mentioned Judo and kabaddi but her father suggested to take up wrestling and she agreed. On 15 August 2015, she was enrolled in Akhada," recalled Neelam.
Talk about the Paris Olympics, Reetika gets philosophical.
"I can only put in hard yards, which I am doing. If you are meant to achieve something it will fall in your lap. I did not even think of winning the Under 23 world championship."
"I didn't even know that I was up against a world champion (Kennedy Blades from USA) in the final. But it was meant for me so I got it."
"I have idolised Kiran di (Bishnoi) since taking up this sport and see now I beat her in the Olympic trials."
"I also beat Divya Kakran in the National Games. These wins boosted my confidence and I began to believe that destiny is pushing me in a certain direction and I will play along."
Reetika says a tough draw and big names do not demotivate or scare her.
"I actually enjoy competing against the big wrestlers. There will be 16 wrestlers in Paris. I have studied each and every wrestlers' game style through UWW videos and YouTube."
"When the draw is made, I will know who are the four in my group but I am ready for anyone," she signed off.