Impact of finishing just shy of podium deeply mental: Abhinav Bindra

NEW DELHI: Paris Olympics saw many medal success stories being written by Indian athletes but there were quite a few heartbreaks too. Six of the athletes missed out on a medal with each securing fourth spot in their respective events.

On Friday, Abhinav Bindra, India's first individual Olympic gold medallist, reflected on the challenges of such near misses. Bindra, who experienced a similar setback when he finished fourth in his fifth and final Games appearance at Rio 2016, emphasised on the importance of managing pressure, expectations and the accompanying disappointment.

"The experience of finishing just shy of the podium, especially on a global stage like the Olympics, can be profoundly challenging for any athlete. The impact is not merely physical but deeply mental and emotional. This is where the role of a mental health trainer or sports psychologist becomes indispensable. It's not just about recovering from the heartbreak, it's about equipping athletes with the mental tools needed to transform that disappointment into motivation for future challenges," Bindra said during an interaction organised by Mpower to mark the launch of Athlete Mind Performance (AMP), a sports psychology division aimed at enhancing athlete performance. Mpower is the mental healthcare initiative of Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET).

He added, "Mental health is as critical as physical health in sports, and without addressing it, we risk undermining an athlete's ability to perform at their best."

Asked, therefore, how the trainers of Vinesh Phogat could have managed the situation after she was disqualified for being overweight ahead of her gold medal bout in Paris Games, Bindra said, "During traumatic periods in an athlete's career, mental healthcare becomes crucial. The pressures and challenges athletes face, especially on such high platforms, can be overwhelming. A sports psychologist plays a vital role in these times."