New Delhi, Jan 10 (NationPress) Recently crowned as the junior national champion in men's artistic gymnastics at the All Age Group National Gymnastics Championships 2024-25 held in Surat, 17-year-old Mann Kothari is focused on achieving success in the senior category before pursuing his aspiration of representing India in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Discussing his experience at the junior nationals, Kothari emphasized the advancements the sport has made lately, thanks to the involvement of international coaches by state teams and improvements in the country's gymnastics infrastructure.
"The competition was quite tough. Although gymnastics isn't yet a mainstream sport in India, it is genuinely evolving. The standard is rising rapidly due to increased investments in gymnastics. States like Odisha and UP have brought in international coaches for training, and several cities are enhancing gymnastics facilities. I also trained in the UK for six months last year," Kothari shared during a virtual discussion with IANS.
This talented athlete from Mumbai started his gymnastics journey at the young age of five and has been training at Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul in Vile Parle.
"I began gymnastics at five in Singapore, where I participated in some invitational competitions that sparked my interest. After moving to India, I continued my training at PTKS in Mumbai under the guidance of coaches Vishal sir and Shailendra sir. I primarily train with Vishal sir. I also competed in the national championship in the sub-junior category," Kothari explained.
He also participated in the 2023 Khelo India Youth Games, securing both silver and bronze medals. Kothari reflected on how the Khelo India initiative boosted his confidence and opened new opportunities for him.
"Khelo India was an excellent experience for me, and winning medals was rewarding. It was my first national junior competition, providing me with insights into my competitors and highlighting the level I need to reach to secure a medal at the junior national level," he remarked.
"Currently, the path is challenging, but with the development of infrastructure and the presence of foreign coaches, it remains feasible to reach international standards through dedication. Khelo India has been incredibly supportive, offering great exposure and training camps in Delhi. I also train in Pune, where the facilities have recently been upgraded to a Khelo India Centre, enabling me to receive scholarships for overseas training in the UK," Kothari added.
When asked about his gymnastics idol, Kothari named Kohei Uchimura, a seven-time Olympic medallist from Japan, as his inspiration. He has set the ambitious goal of qualifying for the 2028 LA Olympics.
"My role model is Kohei Uchimura, a Japanese gymnast who has won the world championship multiple times and earned seven Olympic medals. My aim is to qualify for the 2028 Olympics and win a medal for India at the 2036 Olympics," he stated.
Kothari acknowledged how Dipa Karmakar's qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics motivated young gymnasts like himself to excel. She was the first Indian female gymnast at the Olympics and narrowly missed a medal in the vault event by just 0.15 points. She is among the few gymnasts globally who have successfully executed the challenging Produnova vault.
"Her achievement was monumental, being the first gymnast from India at the Olympics. I aspire to be the first in men's artistic gymnastics, as no one has accomplished this yet," Kothari expressed.
He pointed out that the primary challenges for aspiring gymnasts in the country are limited exposure and a shortage of experienced coaches. "The Gymnastics Federation of India does not send many athletes to international competitions, resulting in minimal exposure. Additionally, we face challenges finding qualified coaches, which affects our technique development. However, with the arrival of international coaches to assist, it will become easier for both athletes and coaches to grasp the essential techniques. The infrastructure is steadily improving," Kothari noted.
Kothari is now focused on qualifying for the Asian Gymnastics Championships in Jecheon, South Korea, later this year to represent India at the continental level.
"My next goal is to qualify for the Asian Championships and represent India, with the event scheduled in Korea for June," he concluded.
