Pranati Nayak Eyes Maiden Asian Games Medal After Injury Comeback

Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak is set to compete at her fourth Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya after overcoming a series of injuries and an extended rehabilitation process. The 31-year-old is India’s only gymnast in the event and will be targeting her maiden Asian Games medal.

Nayak’s preparations were affected by plantar fasciitis, which contributed to her missing the women’s vault final at the Commonwealth Games. She said she is now fully fit and has shifted her focus towards execution, flexibility and landing technique.

The gymnast previously suffered a Grade 2 ankle ligament tear in 2025. Her return to competition included a silver medal at the FIG World Challenge Cup in Tashkent in May 2026.

Nayak also spoke about the mental challenges involved in returning from injury. She has worked with psychologists and uses mental repetition of routines when physical training is limited. She said the approach has helped her concentrate on her performance rather than external pressure.

An Asian Games medal remains one of the few major achievements missing from her career. Nayak has won three Asian Championship medals and World Cup bronze medals in Cairo in 2024 and Antalya in 2025.

She has the high-difficulty Tsukahara 720 available as an option but plans to decide her vault based on her landing and jumping during competition. Nayak said her primary focus is competing against herself and delivering her best performance.

Beyond the Asian Games, the gymnast also has ambitions of continuing until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Published: 9h ago

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