Antim Panghal Eyes Asian Games Gold as Experience Fuels Her Next Big Push

Antim Panghal returns to the Asian Games with something she did not have the first time around experience.

The 21-year-old wrestler is preparing for another major continental challenge with the lessons of Hangzhou 2022 behind her and a much clearer understanding of what it takes to perform when the stakes are high. This time, however, she is not simply looking to participate. Panghal has her sights firmly set on a medal, with gold the ultimate target.

For the Indian wrestling team, preparation has centred around collective ambition. The wrestlers have been training together, pushing each other through demanding sessions and sharing the same objective of making their presence count on the Asian stage.

“Our camp is going well. We are all training together with the same mindset of getting a medal for our country,” Panghal said.

The Asian Games carry their own significance because of their four-year cycle. Unlike competitions that return every season, this is an opportunity that comes around only once in four years. Panghal understands the importance of making the most of it.

“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,” she added.

As the Games approach, Panghal's preparation has been focused heavily on technique. Rather than looking for dramatic changes, the emphasis is on refining the details that can determine the outcome of a close bout.

The presence of Japanese coach Kosei Akaishi has provided another valuable dimension to the camp. Akaishi, who is also the wrestling head coach at the Inspire Institute of Sport, has been working closely with the wrestlers and helping them add new technical elements to their games.

“We are mainly working on technique right now. We also have coach Kosei Akaishi from Japan, who has been helping and teaching us a lot,” Panghal said.

Training alongside fellow members of the Indian team has also created an environment where wrestlers can learn from one another. Different styles, approaches and strengths are brought together during camp, giving each athlete opportunities to test and improve their own game.

“When we work together, it brings out the best in all of us,” Panghal said.

For a wrestler preparing for a tournament as important as the Asian Games, that competitive environment can be crucial. The objective is not merely to arrive in competition shape but to ensure that every part of the game is ready for the demands of the mat.

From a sister's influence to world champion

Panghal's wrestling journey began much closer to home. Her elder sister, who played kabaddi, was the person who introduced her to wrestling.

What followed was a rise that eventually took Panghal to the top of the junior world stage. Yet one of the biggest achievements of her early career came with an unusual twist: she did not immediately realise its historical importance. After winning the Junior World Championship, Panghal only learned that she had become the first Indian to win the title when her coach told her at the airport.

“I didn't even know that no Indian had won it before,” she recalled. “I only found out when I was leaving, and my coach told me at the airport that no Indian had ever come first.”

That moment gave greater meaning to an achievement that had already represented years of work.

Panghal has also had consistent support from the Inspire Institute of Sport since the 2022 Commonwealth trials. The organisation has supported her across different aspects of her high-performance programme, including physiotherapy and equipment. “In 2022, during the Commonwealth trials, IIS sponsored me, and they have been supporting me ever since,” she said.

For elite athletes, such support extends beyond training. Recovery, injury management, equipment and other performance requirements can all play a role in determining how effectively an athlete can prepare for major international competitions.

Panghal credits IIS with helping provide that foundation throughout her journey.

Gold first, Olympics later

While the Asian Games are the immediate priority, Panghal already has her eyes on the larger objective. The World Championships will follow the continental competition, and success there could bring her closer to her Olympic ambitions. But Panghal is refusing to get distracted by what comes next.

Her philosophy is simple: work hard, focus on the immediate challenge and allow the next opportunity to follow.

“Mehnat karne se sab ho jaata hai,” Panghal said.

The message that hard work can make anything possible captures the mindset with which she is approaching the Asian Games. For now, the target is the gold medal. After that, the World Championship trials will provide another opportunity to take a step towards the Olympics.

Panghal's journey has already taken her from being introduced to wrestling by her elder sister to becoming a world champion and representing India at major international events. The next chapter begins at the Asian Games. This time, she arrives with experience, a stronger technical foundation and the backing of a united Indian team.

And she intends to make the opportunity count.