Asian Games 2026: Pranati Nayak hopes to rise above injuries in search of glory

Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak has learnt to live with injuries and the long road back to competition after those setbacks, but the frustrating cycle has done little to dampen her spirits as she chases a maiden Asian Games medal in her fourth appearance at the mega-event.

The 31-year-old, who is the only Indian gymnast selected for the quadrennial event, left for Aichi, Nagoya, Japan on Wednesday night for the Games beginning September 19.

It has come about after a carefully managed recovery from plantar fasciitis (inflammation of foot) that bothered her this season. She missed out on the women's vault final at the Commonwealth Games because of this.

"I am 100 per cent fit now. Injury is a part of a gymnast's life. A gymnast has a lot of injuries. We have to take care of them," Nayak said

"I had made a mistake while running (in Glasgow) but injury was not the reason behind it. After coming back from Commonwealth Games, I have focused on perfection, landing and flexibility. I made a running mistake.

"I can't do anything about it now. It was a very difficult phase for me. Now I am ready and focused," she said.

The immediate response after Glasgow, however, was to step away from the apparatus rather than increase the workload.

"She had a slight injury in her leg. That's why after the Commonwealth Games, we gave her a full three-week rest. She went home to visit her family. After that, I didn't make her do total vaulting. We focussed on preparatory basic training stages," coach Ashok Mishra said.

"When she got used to the rotation and twisting, when her leg recovered, then we focussed on vaulting."

Nayak had recovered from a grade 2 ankle ligament tear suffered in 2025 to win a silver medal at the FIG World Challenge Cup in Tashkent in May this year.

The return was also about regaining confidence in the movements that precede a vault, something she admits can be difficult after an injury.

"It is very difficult. The recovery takes a long time. After that injury, I had to face a lot of problems. But I never gave up. I will try to give my 100 per cent in the upcoming competition," said the Midnapore gymnast, the first Indian to claim three Asian Championship medals.

She has also worked on the mental side of her comeback, including with consultations with psychologists, to help her concentrate on the routine rather than the pressure surrounding it.

"I have worked with a lot of psychologists. They say that you should focus on what you are doing. If you think well, it will be good. You should train your mind. Even if I can't train much, I can keep repeating the drill in my mind," Nayak said.

The approach will be particularly important in Nagoya, where Nayak expects a strong field featuring leading gymnasts from across Asia.

"The Asian Games will be very tough. All the top gymnasts and a lot of Olympic medallists will participate. I saw them in the qualification for the Asian Games," she said.

Nayak has the high-difficulty Tsukahara 720 in her repertoire, but Mishra is not looking to unleash it immediately. The first objective is to get her through qualification with a clean vault and into the final.

"Our target will be to qualify for the first final. She did Tsukahara 720 before, but if she does a perfect 360 with execution, a fixed landing, and a spring straight 360, then she'll be in the final," Mishra said.

"When she qualifies for the final, we have two days to think whether we'll go all out. She has two vaults, a 720 and forward 540. We'll see how she suits the equipment, and how she does it."

The final decision will be taken after assessing how Nayak responds to the equipment and training in Japan.

"Once we get there, we'll train for three days and then we'll set up mentally," Mishra said.

Nayak won three Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships medals in Ulaanbaatar (2019), Doha (2022), and Jecheon, South Korea (2025). She also holds two World Cup bronzes from Cairo (2024) and Antalya (2025). But an Asian Games medal remains a missing piece in her collection.

"My competition is with myself, so I will try to give my best. I will see how I am landing and how is my jumping and then will decide which vault I will go for," Nayak said when asked whether she would stick to a 360-degree vault or attempt a higher difficulty.

The 2020 Olympics remains an emotional milestone for Nayak, so much so that she has etched the Olympic rings as a tattoo on her right arm.

At 31, she knows the window for a gymnast at the highest level does not stay open forever, but her sights remain firmly set on one more Olympic appearance in Los Angeles.

"I will not give up till the time I am fit."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Bridge Desk. It is published from a syndicated feed.)