Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A strictly vegetarian diet of dal, chapati and paneer has powered Gulveer Singh through a gruelling Asian Games campaign, while a small statuette of Bajrang Bali in his room has provided him with a source of mental strength.
The Indian distance runner completed a historic treble on Tuesday, winning bronze in the men’s 5000m to go with his silver medals in the 1500m and 10,000m. In doing so, Gulveer became only the second Indian man and the fourth Indian overall to win three athletics medals at a single edition of the Asian Games.
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“I don’t eat non-vegetarian food. I don’t eat eggs also. I am a pure vegetarian. I eat chapati, dal (pulses) and paneer (Indian cottage cheese),” Gulveer said when asked about his diet during the Games.
“I get good food from the hotel. It’s available at the hotel. I have a good diet and a good supplement. I eat enough protein.”
Gulveer said his diet has remained vegetarian even while training in the USA in the build-up to the Asian Games.
THREE MEDALS, FIVE DAYS
The medal haul came at the end of an exhausting schedule. Gulveer ran four races in five days, including the 1500m heat, and managed to finish on the podium in each of his three events.
“It’s been very tiring because I’ve had to run four races (in five days), but I’m going back with three medals. I’m very happy because I always wanted to give something back to India, and I’ve done that with three medals,” he said.
His recovery routine included continuous endurance training, along with support from a dedicated physiotherapist provided by the Athletics Federation of India.
“I have been doing endurance training continuously. The AFI also gave me a dedicated physio, and that helps me also in recovery. I got massages and stretching done,” he said.
Gulveer’s achievement puts him alongside an exclusive group of Indian athletes. Lavy Pinto won three athletics medals at the 1951 Asian Games in New Delhi, PT Usha won four in Seoul in 1986, while KM Beenamol won three in Busan in 2002.
Gulveer received his latest medal with a traditional tilak on his forehead. He said faith has also played a role in helping him deal with the demands of competition.
“I also keep a statuette of Bajrang Bali (God Hanuman) in my room. I prayed to Him to look after me,” he said.
FROM FEAR TO BELIEF
The 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou were a very different experience for Gulveer. He described himself then as a raw talent who was still learning and admitted that the scale of the competition had made him nervous.
Four years later, that fear has been replaced by belief.
“Back then, it was new, so I was scared. But now I train daily with Olympic medallists, championship medallists, and I feel that if I’m training with these guys, why can’t I compete with them,” he said.
“So all that (fear) is gone now. My single focus is to deliver for my country.”
The three medals have also forced Gulveer to think beyond the immediate demands of the Asian Games. While he has shown that he can compete across multiple distances, he knows that his next phase will require more selective planning.
“The priority here was obviously to win medals for India, but going forward I have to now achieve the qualification for the world championships, the qualification for the Olympics,” he said.
“It’s about picking and choosing which distance will suit me, which will not suit me. So I’m going to be smart about it.”
For now, though, Gulveer leaves the Asian Games with three medals, a gruelling five days behind him and a formula that has served him well: disciplined training, a vegetarian diet, faith and an increasingly firm belief that he belongs among the best.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
