New Delhi, Jan 10 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and 2014 Asiad bronze winner Narsingh Yadav lives in Mumbai, which has been seeing the worst of the ongoing Covid surge, so he's left grappling with the reality of training facilities being shut down and the fear of a lockdown disrupting his preparations for this year's Birmingham Games.
"All facilities were open till recently" said the three-time Maharashtra Kesri title winner, sounding a tad apprehensive about his training routine for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, which are scheduled to take place in Birmingham in another Covid hotspot, Britain.
Yadav said he is looking forward to reprising his gold medal-winning performance at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. But he is up against the fallout of the pandemic's third wave.
"I am still continuing with my training, but slowly, gyms and training facilities are being shut down," Yadav, who's also a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Maharashtra Police, told .
"I have also become more watchful now because of the way Covid is spreading. I only hope the situation does not deteriorate to the point that we need another lockdown."
The son of a milkman who started training to become a wrestler at the age of 13, Varanasi-born Narsingh Yadav won a gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, followed by a bronze each in the 2014 Asian Games and the 2015 World Championships.
"I hope this year the Commonwealth Games go as well for me as they did in 2010," Yadav told . "My training is going very well and I am giving it my entire effort"
Asked about whether he trains with his wife, Shilpi Sheoran, who was a gold medallist at the 2016 South Asian Games in the 63kg category, Yadav said, "My wife and I train together and I have her total support. She's an international wrestler and she helps me maintain my diet."
Does being a police officer make it difficult to balance his wrestling with his work. "My officers give me a lot of support as they know I am representing the country, "Yadav said, adding: "My job does not create any problem for my training routine."
Yadav said he maintains his competition weight with the help of his nutritionist, who has a detailed plan ready to ensure that he doesn't deflect from his target.
On his prospects going forward, Yadav said that while the competition has become more intense across all competitive events, he was confident that his level of training would stand him in good stead.
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