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Indian judoka Yamini Mourya emphasised that her Commonwealth Games campaign gave her the belief that she can compete with the world's best, having already faced Olympic medallists and world champions.
She stressed that the experience has reduced the pressure of the 2028 Olympics and strengthened her confidence in India's medal hopes. Yamini secured a silver medal in the women's 57kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after a closely contested final against England's Acelya Toprak. "The best athletes competed at the Commonwealth Games, including those we have already faced at the world level. I have competed against Olympic medallists and world champions, and if I can give them a tough fight, it gives me a lot of confidence. When I go to the Olympics 2028, I don't think I will feel the same kind of pressure because I know I can compete with the best. If we approach the Olympics without fear or pressure, winning a medal there will not feel impossible," Yamini told ANI. Yamini battled for nearly seven minutes in a high-intensity contest before suffering an Ippon defeat after receiving her third Shido penalty during the Golden Score period. Yamini praised her Commonwealth Games final opponent Acelya Toprak as a world-class athlete and said her experience at the Asian Championships helped her understand how to compete against top-level judokas. She also added that the CWG final has given her greater confidence ahead of the Asian Games. "I think my opponent in the final was extremely strong and has competed at the highest level. Before this, I had participated in the Asian Championships, where I faced many of the same athletes, so I knew how to compete against them. After my Commonwealth Games final, I feel the Asian Games will not be as difficult as I once imagined," she added. India competed in 12 judo events in Glasgow, securing four medals, two gold, one silver and one bronze, a significant improvement from the three-medal haul without a gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The historic campaign was spearheaded by Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh, who became the first Indian judokas to win Commonwealth Games gold medals. Asmita created history by becoming the first Indian woman judoka to claim a gold medal at the Games, while Harsh achieved the same milestone in the men's category. (ANI)
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