Watch: How Joshna Chinappa became the first Indian at seven straight Asian Games

At 40 years of age, Joshna Chinappa returned from Aichi-Nagoya with two bronze medals: one in mixed doubles with Velavan Senthilkumar, and one with India's women's team, which went down to Hong Kong in the semi-finals.

Joshna played her part and the medals capped a record: the first Indian to play seven consecutive Asian Games, passing Saurav Ghosal's six. Her run began at Busan in 2002 and has continued through Doha, Guangzhou, Incheon, Jakarta and Hangzhou, with a medal at five of them, including an individual bronze in women's singles at Jakarta in 2018.

Longevity by design

Before the Games, Joshna sat down with The Bridge to explain how she has lasted so long.

A torn ACL in 2011 taught her to respect her body, she said, and a realisation that overtraining brought injuries faster helped immensely. Her approach has since changed: more attention on recovery, a structured hydration routine and specialised sports nutrition. 

That is where Fast & Up comes in. Joshna says the electrolytes and whey protein she uses in training help her last longer on court. The brand's #FuelForward series follows how athletes like her fuel their careers.

The next generation

Interestingly, Joshna's motivation has barely changed since her first Games and playing for India still gives her the greatest joy. Looking ahead, she talked about mentoring players such as Anahat Singh, and about her wish to see squash grow across India. 

Her message is that age is not the barrier it seems. Daily consistency, discipline and holistic preparation can keep a career going for decades, and she plans to use hers to help the sport grow.