Pic credit – Commonwealth Sports
Glasgow, July 29: Pressure. For most people, it is something to avoid. For elite athletes, it is something to embrace.
As Team India continues its campaign at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the medals have highlighted not only physical excellence but also the mental strength that separates champions from the rest. Every athlete competes under pressure. The difference lies in how they respond to it.
For India’s athletes, mental preparation begins long before they enter the arena. Hours of training build physical strength, but years of experience teach competitors how to remain calm, focused and composed when expectations are at their highest.
Olympic champion Mirabai Chanu believes pressure has never been something to fear.
“I have always believed that pressure cannot weigh me down. When I compete for India, I use pressure as a catalyst to improve my performance. Mental strength and pressure are closely linked, so I actually love pressure.”
That ability to channel pressure into performance has become a common thread running through Team India’s campaign in Glasgow.
High jumper Sarvesh Kushare, who won the silver medal after competing in difficult weather conditions against a strong field, said pressure often brings out his best performances.
“There was pressure because the field was very competitive and the weather was cold. But I embraced it. Tejaswin Shankar was there motivating me, and I have done well in three major competitions this month because I have learnt to enjoy pressure.”
The message is echoed across disciplines.
Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain, who has already assured herself of a medal and is chasing gold, says handling pressure is now an essential part of her preparation.
“I have learnt to accept pressure as part of the process. From the beginning of my career, I knew that if I wanted to perform at the highest level, I had to master pressure.”
For Olympic and World Champion Neeraj Chopra, expectations are now a constant companion whenever he competes wearing the India colours.
“Even after all these years, representing India still brings pressure. It doesn’t matter which stadium I compete in; there are always expectations and different conditions. But I never see pressure as something that weighs me down. I see it as a positive force that lifts me.”
Every athlete finds a different way to stay composed. Some rely on routines, others on experience or the encouragement of teammates. For weightlifting silver medallist Gyaneshwari Yadav, the answer lies in faith.
“I read the Bhagavad Gita before competition. It keeps me calm and helps me compete confidently, even in a high-pressure environment.”
Dr. P. T. Usha, President IOA, herself one of India’s greatest athletes, said learning to handle pressure is one of the defining characteristics of champions.
“Pressure is part of elite sport. Every athlete feels it, whether they are competing for the first time or are an Olympic champion. The key is to trust your preparation, stay focused on your process and never allow expectations to distract you from your performance. Champions are not those who avoid pressure, but those who learn to perform through it.”
As Team India moves deeper into the Games, the pressure will only increase. Finals will become tougher, expectations will rise and every performance will be watched more closely.
Yet if the voices from Glasgow reveal one common lesson, it is this: pressure is not the enemy of success. In the hands of champions, it becomes the force that drives them to achieve even more.
IOA FACT BOX
PRESSURE BUILDS CHAMPIONS
- Elite athletes spend as much time preparing mentally as physically.
- Experience helps athletes convert pressure into confidence.
- Team India athletes use different methods to stay composed—from visualisation and routines to meditation and reading the Bhagavad Gita.
- Senior athletes such as Mirabai Chanu, Neeraj Chopra and Lovlina Borgohain have embraced pressure as part of winning.
- At the Commonwealth Games, mental strength is often the difference between competing well and standing on the podium.
