Calmer, stronger, more determined: Susaki targets LA to regain Olympic title

Yui Susaki is one of those sportspersons you call ‘near perfect’. The Japanese four-time wrestling World champion and former Olympic champion’s streak of perfection was broken when she lost to Vinesh Phogat in the opening round at the Paris Olympics, a first defeat after 95 matches and the first ever in an international tournament.

The 26-year-old, however, has already moved on and is now focussed on Los Angeles in 2028 where, she hopes, she will regain her Olympic gold and possibly avenge her defeat to Vinesh.

“Vinesh is a very strong wrestler and a wrestling legend and I really respect her (but)… if possible, we can fight again. I’m so excited to do that, I hope she gets back. And next time, I want to win,” Yui told The Hindu in an exclusive interaction here.

Currently leading the pack for the Haryana Thunders in the Pro Wrestling League here Yui, who is the highest-paid wrestler in the competition, prefers to see the Paris loss as the trigger to get even better. She might struggle to put her thoughts into words in broken English but Yui’s focus is clear as day.

“After Paris, I changed my training, my diet, my mind, everything and I am improving now. My wrestling practice has totally changed, not in style but overall strength and stamina training.

“I have also changed my diet completely, making significant adjustments by eating a lot more fresh vegetables every week, thanks to my sponsors. I eat eggs, fresh meat, fresh fish, more protein.

“It has allowed me to build muscle and reduce body fat in a way that I barely need to cut weight and feel stronger than ever. And for the mind, I have actually become more relaxed and begun enjoying wrestling a lot more.

“I think before Paris and at Paris also, I was really overthinking and that affected me. Now I do meditation, chanting and I talk to myself a lot, I tell myself I am the best but also that I can become even better,” she laughed.

It is her second visit to India and the first for the revived PWL, being too young the last time it was held, and Yui makes all the right noises.

“I’ve been wanting to participate in this league for a long time so finally my dream’s came true. My team, Haryana Thunders, is very good with a lot of good wrestlers, both Indian and foreign so it’s been good here,” Yui said.

The one thing she is still undecided about is her weight category. Having been in the 50kg all her life, Yui is tentatively probing 53kg here after first stepping into it at Japan’s National Sports Festival in October last, losing to former world champion Moe Kiyooka in the quarterfinals.

“I think the opponents in 53kg are bigger and more powerful, so I have to move a lot more. But I don’t know yet, I will decide later for LA28. But I’ll do everything to show the world that Yui Susaki is back,” she signed off.