Gymnastics may fetch three medals: Ashish

Commonwealth and Asian Games medallist Ashish Kumar is hopeful gymnastics can fetch India three medals in the CWG in Glasgow starting Wednesday. Ashish, who bagged silver and a bronze in the men’s floor exercise and vault in the 2010 CWG in Delhi, hopes to convert those into gold when he takes to the floor in Scotland. 

‘In the events that got me silver and a bronze, respectively, I will try to convert them into two golds. And Dipa Karmakar is also a medal hopeful in the womens draw. So, in total, my assessment would be three medals from gymnastics. But you never know in sport,’ Ashish said on the eve of his departure.

Ashish, who won India their first gymnastic medal in Delhi CWG, rues the lack of international exposure for the national team in the run-up to this edition. ‘We just got international exposure in the form of Commonwealth Gymnastic Championship in Perth this year where we bagged three gold, three silver and a bronze. We got a tournament in 2013 but half the year we were idle. The year 2012 was blank in terms of tournaments and there weren’t any camps as well. So after the 2010 Asian and CWG medals we have been lying low because of lack of opportunities. Our confidence did take a hit because of all these things but still we are hopeful,’ said a disappointed Ashish.

The 23-year-old from Allahabad is also upset about the lack of facilities provided to the gymnasts. ‘If I compare our preparations from the last Commonwealth Games in 2010 then I feel we haven’t got the kind of facilities that we should have got. We also lacked foreign exposure. Our camps were also conducted after about one-and-a-half years. So our training has been affected but our preparation is good.

‘We are trying our best in the ongoing camps to overcome the shortcomings. Though I would still say had we got a little more time to prepare or our camps were held a year back, it would have certainly benefited us. But whatever has happened, has happened. We are just looking ahead now,’ said Ashish.

Ashish is also not happy that the squad is reaching Glasgow on Monday as gymnastics training has already begun from July 14. ‘The gymnastics training had started from July 14 in Glasgow and we are being sent on Monday. So it’s quite late. But once again we just need to build on what we have in hand. No point thinking what could have been done better,’ said Ashish.