Mentally, you have to win first: Boxers Jaismine, Arundhati reveal mindset behind Commonwealth gold

New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS) Indian boxers Jaismine Lamboria and Arundhati Choudhary have shared the mental battles behind their gold medal-winning efforts at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last month.

The women’s 57kg champion and World No. 1, Jaismine, recalled returning to training with only three weeks of preparation following a month-long illness during a candid fireside chat at the IAMGAME 2026 Conclave, held at Bharat Mandapam here earlier this week.

“If you want to see your hand raised, give your 100 per cent in the ring. Once you understand what you are capable of and overcome self-doubt, nothing can hold you back from doing your best for the country,” Jaismine said.

World No. 2 Arundhati, who won gold in the women’s 70kg category, spoke about competing with a 102-degree fever while dealing with a wrist injury and concerns over her mother’s health. “The Commonwealth Games comes once in four years. I told myself I could either fight for nine minutes or wait another four years. You cannot win on aggression alone; mentally, you have to win first,” Arundhati said.

The two boxers also highlighted the importance of visualisation, sports psychology and learning from defeats while preparing for major competitions.

The two-day conclave brought together athletes, sports administrators, business leaders, policymakers, brands and entrepreneurs to discuss the development of India’s sporting ecosystem.

Karan Singh Chettri, Founder and CEO of ESP 360 Degree Solution and IAMGAME, said the platform aimed to address gaps in access, participation and collaboration across Indian sport.

The event concluded with the inaugural IAMGAME Sports Awards, recognising achievements across athlete performance, coaching, grassroots development, social impact, sports business and innovation.

In Athlete Excellence, Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues were named Athlete of the Year – Female, while Abhinav Shaw and Gurtej Singh Bhatti received gold honours in the Male category. Munna Khalid was named Para-Athlete of the Year.

IAMGAME is a sports business platform dedicated to shaping the future of India’s sporting ecosystem. It brings together athletes, coaches, academies, sports entrepreneurs, brands, investors, policymakers and industry leaders to foster collaboration, innovation and growth across the sporting value chain.

–IANS

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