The Indian junior squad created history at the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships by winning a best ever haul of 27 medals. Akshay Gaikwad is one of the brightest stars of that talented bunch with three gold medals to his credit. The 17-year-old, who has also finished fifth at the World Youth Championships, talks to Ajeyo Basu about his future plans and more
Tell us about your experience at the Asian Youth Weightlifting ChampionshipsIJ
We reached there around 10 days in advance. We reached Doha in the morning and went for training in the evening. We trained two times a day till the day before the opening day of the competition. My event was around two or three days after that, so I just rested at the hotel and concentrated on controlling my body weight in order to make my weight category.
Tell us about your performances in earlier eventsIJ
I won gold at the sub-junior nationals in 49 kg category and in the 56 kg category at the junior nationals a couple of years ago. I finished fifth at the World Youth Championships last month and now these gold medals at the Asian Youth Championships.
So how did you start offIJ
I belong to a small village in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. There is a gym in my village and that is where I first started. My father was a weightlifter. He wanted me to be a weightlifter as well. He has always encouraged me and gives a lot of useful tips.
What kind of a daily routine do you followIJ
I start training at the gym at six in the morning and continue till nine o’clock. In the evening also I train from six to nine. Before the selection trials for the state team, we have a month long training camp in my village and we train for six to twelve in the morning and then six to nine in the evening.
So how do you balance your studies with such a tough training scheduleIJ
I go to school after I finish my morning training session. After school, I go directly to the gym from school and then after my evening training session ends at nine, I go home, have dinner and then study till eleven before going to sleep. I wake up by 5:30 in the morning.
Why did you decide to take up a tough sport like weightliftingIJ
There was an inter-district sports tournament taking place in my village. There was a weightlifting coach over there who was a friend of my father. Since I was a fat kid and a bit sturdy for my age, he thought that I would do well in weightlifting. So I started going to the gym and for the first few months, I underwent light workouts, learned the technique and watched others going about their training. After I got the hang of things after the first few months, I started to do serious training.
What kind of a reaction did you get at home when you told them about your decision to take up weightliftingIJ
I got a mixed reaction at home. My father was very supportive while my mother was a bit apprehensive. But after I started winning medals at various competitions, everyone at home started to support me.
A weightlifter needs to follow a really high quality diet regime. So how do you manage thatIJ
My family provides me all that I need. Whatever food items or supplements that I need to eat, they provide me.
Food supplements are quite expensive. How much help do you get from the governmentIJ
When I train in my village I have to get the supplements from my own resources, but when I am in the state or national camps, then the government provides us all that we need.
Do you look up to anyone as your role modelIJ
I do not have any role models as such. I just concentrate on working hard and improving myself. I just want to do the best that I can.
What are your future plansIJ
The Commonwealth Games are coming up next year. I want to make the senior Indian team and win medals over there. The Asian Games will also take place next year. Winning a medal over there will be very tough because the standard is really quite high. But I am willing to work hard and if I make it to the senior national team, I will give it my best shot. Right now, I am preparing myself for these two events.