Catherine Videaux is world class

Harold Iglesias Manresa

IT is an affirmation. Catherine Videaux (63kg) has reached world class level, at least taking into account what took place in the recent World Women’s Freestyle Wrestling Championship, hosted by Strathcona County, Canada, September 27-29, where U.S. Elena Pirozhkov beat Bulgarian Taybe Yusein 2-1 (2-1, 2-5, 1-0).

The reason for this assertion? While it is true that none of the London Olympic medalists attended the World Championship, it is also a fact that Pirozhkov, 26 years of age and born in the Russian region of Novokuznetsk, is installed within the elite. Facing her, Videaux has a balance of one win and two defeats.

Moreover, in London, the young wrestler from Holguín, aged 25 years, placed eighth, after losing 1-2, 2-3 to Russian Lubov Volosov, bronze medalist.

As to what took place in London, she comments:

"I arrived in London on my own and had to adapt myself to the men’s training program over three weeks. I couldn’t fine tune the special exercises for combining the two-leg tackle entry with the lateral. This final stretch was about attaining total fitness and I only had one session with my trainer Elio Garraway."

Tensions on the mat?

Many. Another uncomfortable experience was the Moscow 2010 World Championship, I was on my own there as well. In the bout with the Russian I lacked precision and initiated some attacks in a badly adjusted way, which was decisive in the decision. Add to that the pressure, in a tactically very complicated fight – if I won I was practically on the medals list, but it wasn’t to be. It is true that I don’t consider any rival inaccessible. We have worked very hard to match any other fighter."