Whatever I have won is because of the training imparted by coach Kuldeep, says Naveen

‘My next target is the World championships’

‘My next target is the World championships’

Y.B. Sarangi

KOLKATA

Newly-crowned Commonwealth Games men’s freestyle 74kg champion Naveen Malik’s achievement may enable his guru Kuldeep Singh to get rid of the ‘Greco Roman coach’ tag.

Kuldeep displayed his appreciation for his 19-year-old student’s accomplishment when he donned his uniform to welcome the fellow Navyman on his return from Birmingham at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.

“As he was the chief coach of the Indian Greco Roman team, the tag remained with him. But coach sahab is good at teaching both freestyle and Greco Roman wrestlers. Whatever I have won is because of the good training imparted by him,” Naveen told The Hindu.

“My father travelled 40km from our village (Pugthala) to the Raipur academy in Sonipat every morning to provide milk to me and my elder brother. It’s because of my family’s sacrifices and my coach’s training that I have achieved this.”