New Delhi, Aug 4: India’s Commonwealth Games medallists barely had time to celebrate their success before shifting their focus to next month’s Asian Games as they returned to a rousing welcome in the national capital in the early hours of Tuesday.
Even as the athletes walked out of the airport to a rousing welcome, they spoke in one voice about the road ahead, saying there was little time to bask in their Glasgow success with the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya fast approaching.
“Hearing the national anthem on such a big stage is a feeling I will always cherish. But my focus has already shifted to the Asian Games, where I want to win another gold,” boxer Priya Ghanghas told PTI moments after walking out of the arrivals gate of the IGI Airport.
Priya was not alone in turning her attention to the Asian Games after Indian boxers capped a memorable Commonwealth Games campaign with a 10-medal haul.
The women’s team led the charge with six medals, while the men contributed four, as Indian boxing once again underlined its growing stature on the international stage.
The para athletics contingent, too, scripted history with a record seven-medal haul as India climbed to fourth in the overall medal standings.
As the athletes emerged from the terminal around 4 a.m., dhol beats and patriotic tunes played by an Indian Army band filled the air. Family members welcomed the medallists with flower garlands as supporters queued up for photographs, while Boxing Federation of India (BFI) and Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) officials joined the reception.
“It feels like I’m living a dream,” said Commonwealth champion Sakshi Chaudhary, who became the first boxer to defeat England’s Ruby White in international competition.
“Every night I visualised winning gold, hearing the national anthem and returning home to such a welcome. It feels like that dream has come true. The next target is the Asian Games, and I want to maintain this level there as well.”
For Jaismine Lamboria, the gold medal was the reward for overcoming an illness that had severely disrupted her preparations.
“I trained for only three weeks before the Games after recovering from illness,” she said.
“Once I stepped into the ring, I forgot everything else and focused only on giving my best for India.”
She said the upcoming Asian Games and every tournament thereafter would be stepping stones towards her ultimate goal of winning an Olympic medal in Los Angeles in 2028.
Sachin Siwach credited months of hard work and correcting technical flaws for India’s successful campaign.
“The coaches identified our mistakes, and we worked hard on every weakness,” he said.
“That hard work is paying off now. The next target is the Asian Games, and winning consistently gives every athlete the confidence to perform even better.”
Narender Berwal said the medal haul was the result of meticulous planning and teamwork rather than individual brilliance.
“We study videos of every opponent and prepare our strategy accordingly,” he said. If Plan A works, we stick with it. If not, we adapt. The Asian Games will be a different challenge because we’ll face stronger opponents from countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, but we’ll be ready.”
Silver medallist Jadumani Singh admitted the final defeat still hurt despite an otherwise impressive campaign.
“I gave everything I had, but the final didn’t go my way,” he said.
“There is a little disappointment because I wanted the gold, but that will only motivate me to work harder. I’ll sit with my coaches, improve where I fell short and come back stronger at the Asian Games.”
Arundhati said defeating the defending champion had significantly boosted her confidence.
“That victory reinforced my belief in my abilities,” she said.
“Since my weight category is not part of the Asian Games, my full focus is now on the World Cup. I believe this result will help me perform even better in future competitions.”
The celebrations were equally memorable for India’s para athletics medallists, who produced the country’s finest-ever Commonwealth Games campaign with seven medals.
Games record holder Dilip Mahadu Gavit said adapting to the cold Glasgow conditions was as challenging as competing in an unfamiliar event. “It was my first time competing in the 100m at the Commonwealth Games, and I’m happy to have set a Games record,” he said.
“The weather made things difficult, but we had to adapt. My ultimate goal is to win Paralympic gold and raise the Indian flag on the highest stage.”
Sharmila Dhankhar said winning a Commonwealth Games medal had strengthened her belief ahead of the upcoming major events. “It is a proud feeling to win a medal for the country,” she said.
“This performance has given me a lot of confidence.”
Soman Rana said the medals belonged as much to the support staff as the athletes.
“We only go out and compete, but there is a huge support system working behind us,” he said.
Shot put medallist Shilpa K. Shyla described winning her maiden Commonwealth Games medal as one of the proudest moments of her career. “Representing India and winning my first Commonwealth Games medal is a special feeling,” she said.
“There is still a lot to improve technically, and my long-term goal is to win Olympic gold for India.”
Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh hailed the campaign as another milestone for Indian boxing.
“It is a historic achievement, and the credit goes entirely to the boxers,” Singh said.
Paralympic Committee of India president Devendra Jhajharia termed the campaign a watershed moment for Indian para sport.
“Winning seven medals after managing only five across the previous four Commonwealth Games shows how far Indian para sport has come,” he said.
“Our athletes were exceptional and deserve immense credit, as do coach R. Satyanarayana and the entire support staff. Finishing fourth in the medal standings is a matter of great pride for the country.”
PCI head coach R. Satyanarayana said the historic campaign had filled the contingent with confidence ahead of the Asian Games. (PTI)
