My friends used to make fun of the name 'Wushu', reveals World Champion Praveen Kumar
Newly crowned wushu world champion Praveen Kumar has revealed that when he picked the sport up, his friends used to make fun of the name âWushuâ. Praveen also pointed out that since winning the gold he has been flooded by calls with youngsters and parents enquiring about the sport.
Taking up a sport that was at first ridiculed by his friends, Praveen Kumarâs historic gold at the recent World Championship in Shanghai, China, ended up bringing parents and kids closer to wushu. Going off to sleep every night âwith thoughts of winning only the goldâ has paid off handsomely, for being the world champion is as much a recognition for the sport as it is for the Haryana athlete himself.Â
âMy parents were unaware of the sport and friends would make fun of the name wushu. I would show them the fight videos and they started finding it interesting. Fight dekhke bolte the ye to bahut accha game hai (after watching the fights, they found it interesting),â Praveen told Sports Authority of India (SAI).
âI set up my mind then that I have to do well in the Asian and the World meets,â said the first Indian man to win a World Championship gold in Wushu.Â
Praveen also pointed out that since winning the gold he has been flooded by calls with youngsters and parents enquiring about the sport. The 22-year-old further revealed about his favourite technique.
âMy suggestion is start with a mixed regime with focus on punches and throws. As for me, my favourite technique is throwing with a single leg takedown as well as the right thigh kick,â he added.Â
Serving the Indian Army, where the coaches kept motivating him, Praveen achieved the feat in the 48kg sanda category, defeating Philippinesâ Russel Diaz 2-1 in the final.
âMy Army coaches and mentors kept motivating me, telling me constantly âtu yeh kar sakta haiâ (you can do it).â âEvery night, as I lay in bed, even I thought that I can probably do it. I started working hard and during the camp two months back, I made up my mind, âagar medal laana hai toh gold leke hi aana haiâ (If I have to bring home a medal it has to be gold),â he added.
Praveenâs inspiration to take up the Chinese martial art came in 2011-12 after watching a state-level tournament at a university in Rohtak. Wushu sanda is a martial art that combines full-contact kickboxing, including close-range punches and kicks, with wrestling, takedowns, throws, sweeps and kick catches.
âIt had kicks, punches, throws and that intrigued me. I approached Pramod Kataria, who was working in the CRPF then, to help me practice the sport,â the 2016 Asian Championship silver medallist recalled.
He won a silver medal in 2014 in the junior nationals and followed it up by clinching the senior national title a year later. After losing in the finals and settling for silver at the Taiwan Asian Championships in 2016, Praveen missed the chance to qualify for the World Championships in 2017.
