Relishing a fellow athletes success, India's ace gymnast Ashish Kumar is rather happy to share the limelight with Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Dipa Karmakar when they head for the Asian Games in Korea starting September 19.
In a case of contrasting fortunes in Glasgow, 2010 Asian games bronze-winner Ashish had a faulty landing to finish last in his vault event while Dipa became quite a star after coming third in vault to give India their first CWG medal in womens gymnastics. The Allahabad boy was full of praise for Dipa, who made her state of Tripura proud.
"Dipa getting a bronze in Glasgow has been a definite plus for the sport of gymnastics. It broke the notion that womens gymnastics is not that good. Now suddenly people notice women gymnasts from India and give them a chance. So going into the Asian games she will be motivated with a CWG bronze in her pocket," Ashish, who gave India their first gymnastic medal after winning bronze and silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, told PTI.
"Her medal also has taken some pressure off me. It's good to have a person who is equally popular as you are and the pressure and expectations get divided. It's always good to enter a competition with less pressure," he added.
Looking to forget the Glasgow experience as a bad dream, Ashish, who is competing in six apparatus but concentrating to qualify and win on the floor, said that in gymnastics fortunes change on a particular day and you can never judge anybody by form or record.
"My philosophy is, 'Let bygones be bygones' and I am just looking to put my best foot forward with a clear mind. I will try my level best to give my best shot in the Asian Games and try and get a medal for my nation. On a particular day anybody can perform well and get a medal," he said.
If CWG was tough then Asian Games would be tougher and Ashish realizes that getting past teams like China, Japan and Korea will be no mean task.
