New Delhi, May 29: Renowned gymnast Pranati Nayak recently clinched a silver medal at the FIG World Challenge Cup held in Tashkent. She revealed that she faced significant physical challenges and mental hurdles before the competition. At one point, she nearly lost hope, but her coach inspired her to give her best performance.
Returning to the international stage after a seven-month hiatus due to a severe ankle injury, the three-time Asian Championship medalist’s campaign was nearly derailed by a viral fever just before the event.
During a media interaction organized by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Friday, Pranati shared, “To be honest, I fell ill with viral fever before the competition. My training was completely disrupted. Up until two weeks before the event, my preparation was going well. After falling sick, I started to lose hope. My coach kept motivating me, asking, ‘Why are you giving up? You can do this.’ He provided me with excellent training.”
She added, “The fever weakened my body, so we reduced the number of practice sessions. I did what I needed to do in the competition. Typically, I practice 17, 18, or 20 vaults, but before this competition, I only practiced eight times to conserve my energy. I just wanted to boost my confidence, land well, and make the most of this opportunity. I was very happy with the results.”
Pranati’s coach, Ashok Kumar Mishra, explained that the journey to Tashkent was fraught with difficulties, beginning with a major ligament tear in her ankle last October.
Mishra stated, “In October last year, during the women’s vault qualification at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Indonesia, Pranati landed incorrectly and withdrew from the competition before her second vault. She tore her ankle ligament, but being a senior athlete with extensive experience, she recovered quickly. She worked with a physiotherapist, planned her diet with a nutritionist, and consulted a mental trainer to stay mentally strong.”
However, due to the injury, Pranati had to completely alter her competitive calendar, missing several major events.
He continued, “Our original goal was for her to compete in four World Cups, but that became impossible due to the injury. The next plan was the Senior Nationals, but just before that, she contracted viral fever and tonsillitis, forcing her to sit out. We then requested the gymnastics federation, and considering her capabilities, they granted her direct entry into the World Cup.”
Ashok Mishra had complete faith in his athlete’s abilities. He remarked, “Typically, there is no guarantee of performance for an athlete who hasn’t competed for six to seven months. But I was confident that once she regained her physical fitness, she would give her 100 percent.”
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