From Puri to Glasgow, two gymnasts are chasing the dream of CWG | Commonwealth Games News

(From left) Tapan Mohanty, Rakesh Patra and Tapeshwarnath Das in Glasgow

As Indian gymnasts begin their Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow on Friday, two young athletes from Puri, Odisha, are looking to make their mark on one of the biggest stages of their careers.Tapan Mohanty and Tapeshwarnath Das both took up gymnastics at a young age after joining the State Sports Hostel in the coastal town. Continuing a sport that still lacks widespread popularity in India is never easy, but they kept their heads down, trusted the process and are now one of four Indian men’s gymnasts set to compete in the Commonwealth Games.For Mohanty, making the Commonwealth Games squad is the culmination of years of hard work, and the youngster is quietly confident after an encouraging performance at last month’s Asian Championships.“It was a great experience and I did well there. I competed against Olympians and international medalists, and I learned a lot by watching how they prepare and compete,” Mohanty said.The gymnast, whose father is a Jagannath Temple servitor and a former state-level wrestler, believes competing against the world’s best has also changed her outlook.“Seeing them win medals made me realize that I can do it too. It gave me confidence and reinforced the importance of staying focused and working hard,” he added.An all-round gymnast, Mohanty believes her best chance lies in the floor exercise, where she hopes to qualify for the final and challenge for a medal. He is also representing India in the 2023 Asian Games.Preparing for an event of this magnitude means weeks of meticulous planning. After the Asian Championships, the Indian team traveled to Essex in England for a training camp at the South Essex Gymnastics Club under coach Scott Hann and Anthony Wise.For Das, the stint in Essex has been invaluable and he believes it will make a big difference once the competition starts in Glasgow.“The facilities are very good, and we train with the same equipment we will use during the competition,” Das said while training there.“We also had enough time to adapt to the weather and conditions here. If we had traveled directly from India, the adjustment would have been more difficult. Spending more time here really helped our preparation. “A vault specialist, Das believes that training abroad has sharpened her strongest event which she loves for the strength and explosiveness that comes with it.“Vault success depends on technique and skill execution, and I’ve developed that through years of consistent training,” he said.Apart from hours of practice in the gym, the two athletes also include meditation in their daily routine to stay mentally challenged. Equally important is the bond they share, having grown up in the same town and training together for nearly a decade.Years after starting their journey at the State Sports Hostel in Puri, Das and Mohanty now stand on the brink of the biggest competition of their careers. Along with Rakesh Patra, their senior and now coach, they will hope that the road from Odisha to Glasgow ends with a performance to remember.