Ravi Kumar Dahiya: All athletes focus on physical fitness, but mental toughness important too

In an interaction with sports buffs and young wrestlers, grappler Ravi Dahiya says positive mindset is a prerequisite for success not just in sport, but in every sphere of life

Ronnie D’souza, Sports enthusiast

How difficult was it to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics given the COVID-19 lockdown?
Practice was most important. We were training continuously throughout the lockdown. We did not go home and stayed at the [Chhatrasal] stadium in Delhi. Around 15-20 youngsters were given permission to train with us. Our thinking was that if the Games happen, then we shall do our best and if they don’t, then the training will help us in whatever next tournaments come up. So, the aim was to do well and give our best wherever we participate. Throughout the pandemic though it was tough, we continued our training along with a bunch of 15-20 boys, adhering to all the health and safety protocols.

Wrestling being a contact sport, were you nervous at any time in Tokyo, fearing that if you get COVID-19 your Olympic campaign could be over?
It’s normal to be nervous about such things. There are many times when you get weird thoughts like what if the Olympics don’t happen. And even if they were to happen, there were so many questions that would arise in my mind. I would speak to friends and everyone would advise us that we should do what is in our control and not over-think aspects that are not in our control. People around me kept saying, ‘give your best and leave the rest to God’. We athletes would constantly talk to each other and motivate one another.

What did Prime Minister Narendra Modi tell you at the felicitation ceremony in the capital?
Modiji was very motivating. He told me, ‘when you won a medal you were not happy, but you should not be disappointed because the nation is proud of your achievement.’ He told me to be happy, work hard to win the gold and then we will celebrate together.

Amit Gadkari, Sports enthusiast

Tennis champ Novak Djokovic has said that at the international level it’s 99 per cent about the mental aspect. Your physical training was good, but what was your mental training like?
I’m also a huge fan of Djokovic. I’ve seen many of his videos and have read a lot about him. He’s a great player and what he says is right. The mental aspect is most important for any player. Physically, everyone tries their best to be fit and train hard, but if you are mentally strong, you can achieve a lot, not just in sport, but in any sphere of life. So, mental training is very important. Initially, I would always talk to my parents to keep myself motivated. But since the last two-three years, I’ve started consulting a motivational speaker and he told me that I need to constantly keep learning. He said that this learning could come from anywhere or anyone. He also keeps telling me that I should be positive all the time. It’s not that I win all my matches. There are times when I lose too and that’s when I ensure I keep myself in a positive frame of mind and keep learning from whatever mistakes I’ve made. So, being mentally strong is important as it helps you adjust accordingly in different situations.

Watch the full mid-day Meet Your Icon video with Ravi Dahiya below.

You’ve come back from Tokyo and have been attending a plethora of felicitation ceremonies. How tough is it to adjust your training around these functions?
Earlier, I was not prepared for so many felicitation functions, but now I’m getting used to them, Sometimes you cannot say no. Even today, I attended an event, then dozed off and got up late for another event. So it’s very difficult. But it’s good to see people cheering for the Olympics and showering so much love on us.

Praduman Yadav, U-18 wrestler

Could you tell us about your diet?
With time, everything changes and it’s the same in the case of my diet. When there’s a tournament, and I have to fight in a certain weight category, my fat consumption is zero. Else, it’s homemade milk, curds and butter for me. I’ve been training in Delhi since 2007 and my father has been bringing these things to me. Around 15 days before a tournament, I avoid 
all sweets.

Do you watch movies? Who is your favourite actor and what’s your favourite film?
I have very little spare time and I see very few movies. For almost two years, I have not seen a single movie. I have also stayed away from social media. All I would see and do is bouts, bouts and bouts. So, it was mostly stuff related to my sport. I’m not keen on movies. I have nothing against anyone or any actor. If there’s a good film then I will watch it on my phone, but that’s very rare. I’m just not a movie buff, that’s all.

Omprakash Pande, U-17 wrestler

How comfortable are you in front of the camera given you will have a lot  of commercial endorsements and shoots now?
I have always been a very shy and nervous individual. Initially, I found it very difficult [to be in front of the camera], but slowly I got used to it. Earlier, I would fear that I may say something wrong, but now things are better. I have learnt to adapt and now I’m quite normal in front of the camera.

What is your next major tournament?
My training has already begun for the next phase of tournaments. I had gone home for a day in between, but now I’m back at the training centre. I’m always at the centre, practising continuously. I ensure that I complete all my daily training before attending any event or felicitattion function. I adjust all my commercial commitments around my practice. It’s always training forst. The main tournaments that I have shortlisted are in 2022. I will be participating in a few other tournaments too, but my main focus will be on next year’s Asian Games [September 10 to 25 in Hangzhou, China] and the Commonwealth Games [July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, UK].

Also Read: Ravi Kumar Dahiya: My goal is a gold medal at Paris Olympics 2024

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