“The Olympics has always been my dream and that finally came true”: Maana Patel on her experience at Tokyo 2020 and Asian Games 2022

Maana Patel, the talented Indian swimmer from Ahmedabad, has already achieved several milestones at the age of 23. From dreaming about the Olympics and Asian Games to participating in the mega events, she has achieved a lot since taking up the sport at the age of seven.

Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Maana talked about her experience at both the Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Asian Games.

“Ever since I started competitive swimming and won my first national medal, I started dreaming about the big events like the Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games, and I always wanted to represent my country at the Olympics, that has always been my dream, and that finally came true in 2021.”

Reflecting on her experience of the Olympics, during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she was without her family, Maana discussed her surreal experience.

“Obviously, because of COVID, the environment there was pretty different. There were no spectators allowed, and my parents were not there to watch me race at the Olympics, so that was a major drawback, but nonetheless, it was the Olympics, and it did feel like that because the fact that the entire world, the best of the best athletes from all over the world, have come together, living in the same village, and trying to be their best feels different.”

She also added how much she got to learn by just observing the top athletes in the world.

“I mean, to be in that environment amongst these athletes is a whole different vibe, and honestly, I was soaking it all in when I was there, trying to make the most of it. Just by observing all the athletes around me—how they look after their bodies, what they eat, how they stretch, how they work out, just by being there, being a part amongst them, there was so much to learn and so much to absorb.”

While Maana's performance in Tokyo may not have been her personal best, she considers her participating a valuable learning experience.

“It was a bit intimidating and overwhelming to race with the who's who of the swimming fraternity, and that's also why I choked on the day of my race and I didn't perform up to the expectations. Although I was in brilliant shape and I was really hoping for a really fast swim, that didn't happen, but there were a lot of takeaways from the race because now I know how to handle myself under pressure and I know how to deal with it and keep everything aside and still perform, so that was one of the takeaways.”

The Olympics also gave Maana the chance to interact with several top athletes from India and across the globe. She spoke of the special moments spent with Indian badminton star PV Sindhu and tennis legend Novak Djokovic.

“I also got a chance to interact with our other Indian star athletes. I got a chance to interact with PV Sindhu, and I think that was very special because she's an amazing person. Obviously, she's a wonderful athlete, but she's also a brilliant human being, and it was really nice interacting with her. I also got a chance to take a picture with Novak Djokovic, so that was very, very special. Just to be around these star athletes was something else.”

“There is so much room for improvement, and I plan on working on that" - Maana Patel on her performance at the Asian Games

Maana Patel [Image: Twitter/Odisha Sports]

The postponement of the Asian Games proved to be a blessing in disguise for several athletes, including Maana, who got more time to prepare. The Ahmedabad-based swimmer not only talks about her performance at the games but also how she plans to go forward.

“The Asian Games were postponed by a year, and I think I was quite happy because it allowed me more time to prepare, and I was honestly fine, and I was really mindful of how I planned this year and what I wanted to do. Honestly, everything went as per plan.

"Obviously, there were a few hiccups along the way, but I'm really happy with how everything went, and it couldn't have been better. But obviously, there is so much room for improvement, and I plan on working on that.”

Prior to the Asian Games in Hangzhou, Maana made a significant decision to shift her training base from Bangalore to Bhubaneshwar. She elaborated on this move:

“I moved to Bhubaneswar from Bangalore, and the Bhubaneswar Training Centre is going to be my new base going forward. It was honestly great with the new facilities there, and the human resources that we have in Bhubaneswar are exceptional.”

Following the Asian Games, Maana engaged in discussions about her performance with her coaches.

“I did get a lot of input from them (the coaches), and I don't think I would have had it (make the move to Bhubaneshwar) any other way, to be honest, if I look back.

"Even though there was a very short gap between my moving to Bhubaneswar and the Asian Games, I think everything went as per plan because coach Doug and I were in sync and we were on the same page in terms of my training and the approach towards my training. So, I absolutely enjoyed training with him, and I was really motivated to work hard and provide really good results at the Asian Games.”

Maana concluded by emphasizing her satisfaction with the decision to relocate to Bhubaneswar and her excitement to see how this change would work for her.

“There was so much to learn along the way, and I'm really happy with the decision that I've taken. I'm really happy moving to Bhubaneswar, and I'm excited to see how this change works going forward because so far, I'm really positive, and I'm really happy training there.”