Commonwealth Games medal, gold in the National Games, 5th place at the Asian Games, and a few injuries to go with that — this summarises the ups and downs Judoka Tulika Maan has been through in the last four years.
Hailing from India’s capital, Delhi, Tulika is all set to take part in her first-ever Olympic Games. She’ll be the only Judoka from India to compete in the Paris Olympics 2024, in the women’s +78 kg category. In an exclusive interaction with InsideSport, Tulika opened up about her medal chances, the competition, and the journey till now.
“We have a unique ranking system in judo, so I was already aware of the Olympic selection. While I was thrilled, I was also burdened by the fact that all eyes would be on me from now on,” said Tulika.
Road to Paris Olympics 2024
The road to Paris for Tulika was not easy. Injuries stalled her progress in 2022, and which resurfaced this year too. But hopefully, all is okay now for the 25-year-old. She said, “I sustained a knee injury in 2022, which reopened during my most recent encounter in Abu Dhabi. After that, we stayed in India to completely recover from my injury, but I’m fit now. Apart from that, I was concerned that I would not be able to qualify for the Olympics because during my match in Uzbekistan, my flatmate left the windows open, and the temperature was extremely chilly outside. This led me to develop a fever and cold, making it difficult for me to compete in the qualifying matches.”
“The CWG was an incredible experience for me because everyone started noticing me, which was very unexpected. Not only in the CWG but in the Asian Games as well, I made some mistakes that I’m hoping I won’t repeat in the Paris Olympics,” she added.
Judokas like Vijay Yadav and Avatar Singh were also in the race to represent the country. On excelling out of the other Judoka friends, Tulika said, “Vijay, Avatar, and I were in one group. Avatar wasn’t very close to me, but Vijay was. Vijay got injured in the midst and has retired now. It was quite upsetting for me that a player like Vijay had to retire so early.”
“Being the sole representative—whether it’s our judokas or judo coaches—we want at least 7 to 8 competitors representing our country in judo at the Olympics. Furthermore, this is preferable because we have a full team at the Olympics to encourage one another. This was the case in the CWG, where 5 or 6 of us went to the games, so even when a single athlete was down, we used to push each other, saying that there’s always another fight. There’s a saying that a group is better than a single person. As a result, there is a significant difference between going alone and going as a group,” said Tulika.
Although Tulika is going alone, her spirits are high, and she’ll give her best to win a medal for the country. “I think a personal goal of anyone competing at the highest level of sport would be to win an Olympic medal. Everyone wants a gold medal, but I understand that it is very difficult. Yet, my aim is to get the gold medal for my nation. I hope to perform at my very best in the Olympics, considering the fact that the pride of my country, India, is at stake,” she said.
Getting ready for Olympics
Representing your nation does indeed add pressure; however, the Olympics is more like a real test for athletes. Not only intense training but mental calmness also plays a huge part in it. “There is definitely added pressure because when you’re going alone, the eyes of the whole nation will be on you because I’m the one representing India at the highest level in judo. Our coach instilled the habit of doing yoga to calm ourselves. So, whenever there is any kind of added pressure, I prefer to do yoga to calm myself and perform exceptionally,” said Tulika.
“The training has been going extremely well. As I said, we will be training in Spain for a while before going to Paris to further increase my chances at the Paris Olympics. I have a very specific diet plan that helps me in recovery and optimal performance in training. Apart from that, Hydration IV has helped a lot in keeping my body hydrated to deal with muscle soreness after intense training,” she added.
The competition at the biggest stage
The Olympics is sports’ biggest festival. Not only from Asia or Commonwealth nations, but the top judoka players from all over the world prepare themselves to clinch a medal at the top stage. Talking about the competitors, Tulika said, “My main competitor right now is Xu Sin because she’s the most powerful among everyone I’ve come up against until now. Apart from her, there is a Japanese player, Akira Sone, who is already an Olympic champion. So, my focus on these two athletes is a bit more compared to the others.”
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