What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas
Having suffered defeat on the mat in the first round to a strong Chinese opponent, at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, in Las Vegas, former Kids Haven resident Mpho Madi is still confident that she will qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist competed in the women’s 53kg category, in Vegas, and was disappointed not to have gone further at the championships.
“It was a tough competition,” she told the City Times.
“It did not go as I wanted it to.
“My opponent wrestled well and it was a good match, but it wasn’t to be for me.”
The top six wrestlers from the championships earned themselves Olympic qualification, but it is not the end for Madi on her road to Rio.
She still has another three phases of qualifying opportunities on the horizon, and she is hoping to secure her ticket for the flight to Brazil with the next phase of qualifying, in Mongolia, next year.
“I was disappointed at first, but now I am ready to fight back; I know I can do well,” she added.
Madi has started training again after a short break and will spend the whole of February, next year, at a women’s wrestling camp, to prepare for the qualifying phase.
The modest wrestler has also been spending time giving back to a children’s home in Pretoria, where she has been volunteering and working with disabled children.
