Interview | I actually hope I can change Indian swimming for ladies sooner or later, says Dhinidhi Desinghu

At 14, Dhinidhi Desinghu, who competed in girls’s 200m freestyle in 2024 Olympics, was the youngest Indian to take part within the Paris Games. The teenager confirmed her class earlier this 12 months when she bagged 11 medals, together with 9 gold, to emerge because the Best Athlete within the Uttarakhand National Games.

With a number of essential worldwide occasions lined up within the coming months main as much as the 2026 calendar, which has the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, Dhinidhi has been engaged on her total growth as a swimmer.

During the National aquatics championships on the Kalinga Stadium Aquatic Centre right here, the Karnataka lady, now a 15-year-old, recalled her Games expertise, the way it felt to share the competitors enviornment with international stars, and her desires for the nation. Excerpts:

How do you look again at your preparations for the Paris Olympics?

Obviously, making an attempt to qualify for Paris 2024 wasn’t a significant objective. Getting into the Olympics and representing the nation is the last word objective, however I didn’t suppose that it was going to occur final 12 months.

The preparation was going effectively, however I didn’t put an excessive amount of stress on stepping into it. I’m fairly joyful that I obtained the possibility to characterize India on the Olympics final 12 months.

How was your expertise at one of many largest competitions on this planet?

It wasn’t simple to get in and I sacrificed a lot. I used to be joyful that I obtained the possibility.

It was inspiring to see all these Olympians and see how they deal with themselves earlier than and after a race… what they eat, how they warm-up. We get to be taught a lot from them.

It was, actually, an incredible expertise attending to see them in particular person and watch them in motion. It is one thing that you just don’t actually watch on TV. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime alternative. People dream of seeing them and I had the privilege to see them dwell.

What are the opposite learnings from that have?

I learnt rather a lot like the place do I begin, the way to correctly execute my races by watching different individuals, how they do their races, what they eat earlier than the race and the way that improves their efficiency, and the way a lot they relaxation. Every small facet is de facto essential. And how a lot know-how they use going into their races. I hope that sooner or later we, in India, go that method too and improve our possibilities.

Has the Paris participation boosted your confidence?

Obviously, I really feel much more assured going into the meets. But we’ve got to remain humble and make it possible for we’re not getting too over assured.

Sometimes (there’s) somewhat little bit of strain realizing that you’re the Olympian. You have to indicate and just be sure you are on prime, which is typically anxious. Trying to suppose that I’m simply 15 lets the strain out when competing with older contributors within the 23-24 age class.

This 12 months you probably did rather well within the National Games…

I wished to do effectively within the National Games. My objective was to be the perfect Indian athlete and I labored actually arduous for it. Training numerous hours out and in of the gymnasium. Getting that finest Indian athlete was an unbelievable achievement. I hope I get to do many extra National Games and change into the perfect Indian athlete once more.

How do you sit up for 2026?

I deal with the current with a purpose to be certain what is occurring now goes effectively. We have the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games subsequent 12 months other than many different competitions.

I’ve massive objectives for them. I’ve a educated and supportive coach, Nihar (Ameen) sir, who will deal with all of the planning and coaching. I’ve lots of people with me on my workforce to assist me out via this journey. I’m simply going to belief them.

I’ve a great probability within the Asian Youth Games. It’s in October. So I do have a shot at a medal there.

Any explicit space the place you’re working to enhance your recreation?

My total efficiency issues rather a lot, together with the minute particulars from the race. It’s clearly not potential to execute an ideal race, however making solely minor errors is the last word objective. We begin by it within the coaching periods.

How about competing with swimmers who’re a lot older than you?

I’ve been doing the senior Nationals since I used to be 12 years previous. So I’m fairly acquainted with the individuals.

It isn’t actually all that anxious these days. The extra meets I compete in, the extra assured I get with the individuals as they change into acquainted faces. That reduces the strain a bit, ensuring that I deal with my race and never care about how others are swimming. That’s essential.

You are taking good care of your physique. But what in regards to the psychological coaching?

That is sort of essential. I’ve a psychologist (Shree Advani, the brother of billiards and snooker star Pankaj Advani) who takes care of it. I’ve labored with him for a 12 months now. It has been going rather well. He works with many Olympic athletes. I’m joyful that he’s on my workforce. He has been serving to me mentally. I used to have a whole lot of panic assaults and fall sick earlier than my occasions due to how scared I used to be. I’ve grown rather a lot since then.

What about funding?

I’ve a sponsor in Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ). I’ve additionally just lately been within the TOPS growth programme and so they’ve been supporting me financially.

Who is your idol?

I look as much as lots of people. There are so many nice swimmers – Summer McIntosh, Sarah Sjostrom, Katie Ledecky.

On the lads’s facet, too, there are a whole lot of inspiring individuals. There is just not just one particular person whom I look as much as. I look as much as every particular person’s completely different strengths, strokes, expertise (underwater)… I hope to develop by mixing numerous types and clinch gold on the Olympics some day. I actually hope that I can change Indian swimming for ladies sooner or later.