Asmita Dey, who made history as the first Indian judoka to claim a <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/commonwealth-games-2026-from-gulveer-singh-to-tejaswin-shankar-here-are-athletes-who-highlighted-india-growing-strength-in-track-and-field-23643059" rel="nofollow">Commonwealth Games</a> gold medal, revealed that confidence in her abilities was the single most decisive factor behind her victory.
"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 during a felicitation ceremony hosted by <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/sports-minister-mandaviya-backs-indian-contingent-at-cwg-2026-23641342" rel="nofollow">Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya</a>.
Reflecting on the tense final against a top Canadian opponent, Asmita recalled experiencing a brief moment of doubt before her coach, Yashpal Solanki, stepped in to steady her mindset.
"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.
<h2>Asmita Dey opens up about her road ahead</h2>
Asmita Dey believes mental resilience separates champions from contenders and hopes to continue her good form in the next tournaments.
"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," she added.
Looking ahead to the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/sjoerd-marijne-asian-games-is-most-important-for-us-23627405" rel="nofollow">Asian Games</a>, Asmita is focusing on improving her ground techniques to compete against powerhouse nations like Japan and South Korea.
"If my coach, Yashpal Solanki sir, is with me, I don't have any problem. He has been with me for a long time. He is an Olympian and an Arjuna Awardee, and he has trained extensively abroad. I always feel he is the best coach for me. I have no problem taking guidance from Japanese coaches," she signed off.
(With inputs from PTI)

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Asmita Dey attributes historic Commonwealth Games Judo gold to mental toughness

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