Khelo India is launchpad, but male gymnasts need inner desire to excel: Ashish Kumar

The CWG 2010 double medalist is serving as member of the SAI Talent Identification and Development Committee

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: Gymnast Ashish Kumar, who scripted history with a silver and a bronze medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games here, has urged male gymnasts to stoke their inner desire to excel at the international level. The 34-year-old is playing a key role as a member of the Sports Authority of India’s Talent Identification and Development Committee (TIDC).

Speaking on sidelines of the Gymnastics competition in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar, Ashish Kumar, who also won an Asian Games medal in 2010, said the event offered great opportunities to the athletes. “Now the onus is on the players, coaches, and the Federation to tap into this success and take it further. They have to ensure next-level performance,” he said.

The Khelo India Scheme has opened new doors for gymnasts in the early teens, many of whom are showing promise. The Prayagraj-based Ashish Kumar said these gynmasts have to work towards the next level with more desire. “Yes, we are seeing good performances from the athletes. But the real job starts now – proper development has to be ensured, especially among the boys,” the 2010 Asian Games medalist said.

The TIDC of which Ashish is a part of, plays a crucial role in identifying promising athletes who can be inducted as Khelo India Athletes (KIAs) and trained at National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs). He believes there should be an overhaul of training philosophy in the sub-junior category, especially for gymnasts under 14.

“At that age, the body recovers quickly. Therefore, from the initial years itself, we have to stress on increasing their loading capacity with proper strength and conditioning schedule. If we keep things light early on, then by 25, their body won’t be able to handle the load,” Ashish Kumar explained. This approach, Ashish asserts, will create a strong foundation.

Recalling his own journey and the days of training under foreign coach Vladimir Chertkov, Ashish Kumar stressed on conditioning. “When we were at the CWG camp in 2010, coach Vladimir made us push our limits. He taught us how crucial it was to have a body capable of handling repeated strain. Like in an exam, you memorise something 20–30 times for perfection. In gymnastics, it’s the same – you repeat movements till your body owns them,” he said.

Ashish Kumar highlighted the male gymnasts need a sharper roadmap to catch up. “Improvement is needed in male gymnastics. We’ve seen success among women recently, but men have a long way to go. That’s where Khelo India can make the biggest impact – by identifying boys with potential and making them long-term athletes,” he says.

“However, the fire must come from within. You can give players the best facilities and equipment, but if they don’t have that fire inside to achieve something bigger – like an international medal –nothing works. Many just feel content after getting a national medal. That mindset has to change,” Ashish Kumar said.