Ashish Kumar interview: "The Gymnastics Federation did nothing to help me get a wild card for the Olympics"

Ashish Kumar is the boy who got gymnastics into mainstream sports by becoming the first ever Indian to win medals in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games events. This 21-year-old was the best hope for India in gymnastics in the Olympics, but his hopes were shattered when the Gymnastic Federation of India decided to give more importance to their unproductive infighting than support this young lad to conquer his dreams. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda correspondent Taruka Srivastav, Ashish Kumar spoke about his unsuccessful efforts to participate in the London Games.

Q. You missed qualifying for the Olympics by a whisker. You must be absolutely gutted?

Ashish: Oh it ‘s true that I was very disappointed, because the required cut-off mark to qualify for the Olympics was 80%, and I scored 79.3%. The margin was very slight, which hurts the most. I was pretty positive about making it but things din’t work out my way. The problem was that my training routine which I was following was pretty unscientific, which left me fatigued; when I participated in the Tokyo qualifiers I was in bad physical shape. And apart from that event I hardly participated in any international tournaments. It is the duty of the federation to send us for international tournaments but they always gave the excuse that they lacked funds.

Q. You weren’t given a wildcard as promised to you by the Gymnastics Federation. What happened there?

Ashish: Even though I didn’t make the qualifying cut, I was hopeful of getting the wildcard since I was the first Indian to win medals in gymnastics in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. I thought that if the Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) would push my name, I would surely get in. The GFI officials, however, were busy setting their house in order, since there are two rival units at the national level, and they did nothing to further my cause.

Q. Do you think Indians are at a disadvantage physically when it comes to gymnastics?

Ashish: Yes, I would say that we are a little disadvantaged. We don’t have tall muscular physiques to boast of like other countries’ gymnasts do. We are not very flexible either, but i think with practice we can achieve the body structure required for a gymnast. I think that if one starts gymnastics from a very young age, like say, around 5 years, that can help considerably. I also think that what we eat matters a lot. Diet is one of the most important factors which builds up the physique. Gymnastics is called the “mother of all games” because it helps one achieve the perfect body structure (flexibility and agility) that is suitable for all sports.

Q. Considering the athleticism and interest level in gymnastics among Indians, do you think it is worthwhile for the Government to spend money and effort in developing the sport in the country?

Ashish: Yes, of course it is worthwhile to invest in gymnastics. The game is gaining a little bit of popularity. The Government should make it a point to build gymnastics halls and provide good infrastructure in every state. Once every state is equipped with appropriate training facilities, the results will automatically come. That’s because India is full of raw talent which is not put to full use. I’m sure that we’ll win scores of international medals with the right kind of training. The problem is that the Government and the GFI are not doing enough.

Q. Vladmir Chertkov played a crucial role in the international success you’ve attained in recent years. During his tenure, were there any significant changes made to your training routines?

Ashish: Chertkov was very good, and he helped me improve my techniques. However, I wish he had planned my training in London better. Every athlete requires some time out of training to let his body recover from fatigue and rejuvenate, but I was given no breaks during my training.

Q. How/why did you choose gymnastics when there is no infrastructure or recognition for the sport in India?

Ashish: I was pretty young when my parents decided to put me into gymnastics purely for the sake of engaging me in some extra-curricular activity, but I actually started liking it. I started doing really well at the district and state levels. From then on I decided to pursue a future in it. It is my dream to win a medal for India in the Olympics and to help improve gymnastic’s popularity in India. I know I missed out this year but there is always next time. I will prepare very thoroughly for the next Olympics. I still think if the Government and the federations work towards improving the condition of the game, there will be rewards.There is not much money in the game which is a serious drawback. I practise in Allahabad which has India’s best infrastructure for training, so I have been lucky in that regard.

Q. Have there been any Indian gymnasts in the past that you look up to? Or do you take inspiration from the more famous gymnasts outside India?

Ashish: Well, I had some really good seniors like Vikas Pandey, Rohit Yadav and a few others. They have done pretty well for India in gymnastics in the past and have been responsible for whatever little popularity gymnastics has in India. Apart from them, I also take inspiration from Russian and Chinese gymnasts.

Q. What are your plans now?

Ashish: This is my off season and I am currently doing some physiotherapy as I had hurt my shoulder during practice. I have been advised rest for a few weeks. Once I am fully recovered, I’ll get back to practice for the upcoming World Cup in Slovakia.