Had to win gold, kept telling myself I’d return to India with it: Asmita Dey
Asmita Dey, who became the first Indian judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal, said she always believed she would script history for the country and that unwavering self-belief proved to be the defining factor in her triumph.
“Even before I boarded the flight to Glasgow, I had only one thing in my mind -- I had to win the gold medal. I kept telling myself that I would return to India with the gold,” Asmita told PTI on the sidelines of the felicitation ceremony for the judo medallists at Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s residence here on Tuesday.
Recalling her memorable campaign, Asmita admitted there was a brief moment in the final when she feared the gold might slip away, but timely encouragement from her coach Yashpal Solanki helped her regain control.
“The competition was tough because my opponent in the final was from Canada. She was ranked just below me, so we were almost at the same level. When she scored against me, for a couple of seconds I thought I might lose.
“But my coach, Yashpal Solanki sir, kept reminding me that the gold was ours and that I had to win it. That gave me confidence. I became more aggressive, levelled the match and then it went into the Golden Score. I scored first in the Golden Score and won the gold medal,” she said.
Asked about the biggest strength behind her success in a highly technical sport, Asmita said mental toughness, rather than physical ability, made the difference.
“I believe that no matter how much we train, if you look at the players in my weight category in India, many of us undergo almost the same training. The real difference lies in the mindset.
“It is about who is mentally stronger, who can handle pressure better during competition, and who has greater confidence and self-belief. Those things matter the most. Physically, others may be as strong as me, but a strong mentality is what ultimately makes the difference,” she emphasised.
Asmita, who took up judo in 2014 in her native Tripura, fondly recalled how an unexpected opportunity changed the course of her life.
“My uncle called and told me there was a recruitment drive for a sports school. He asked if I could go there for fitness tests like running. I agreed. My cousin took me there on a bicycle. From there, I went to Agartala with my coach, appeared for the trials and performed well.
“The coaches felt I had talent because I finished first. They introduced me to judo, and I started competing. I began winning district titles, then state titles, and gradually developed a strong interest in the sport. That’s how my journey in judo began,” she recalled.
Looking ahead to the Asian Games, Asmita said she was not intimidated by the prospect of competing against powerhouses such as Japan, South Korea and China. “My strategy is to work even harder because there isn’t much time left before the Asian Games. I have to prepare mentally and physically for every opponent. Even after the Commonwealth Games ended, I continued training whenever I got time,” she said.
