For injury hit Satwik, this Asian championship title is a stepping stone for Olympics

“Well, I always believed in God, especially during those testing times. Fortunately, this Asian Championship doubles gold (partnering Chirag Shetty) after coming back from an injury was another special and unforgettable,” Satwik informed The Hindu

For injury-hit R. Satwiksairaj, it has never been easy to stage those comebacks given the kind of mental and physical challenges he has to face.

But, the gifted shuttler believed in one mantra — good things are always waiting for me despite bad phases.

“Well, I always believed in God, especially during those testing times. Fortunately, this Asian Championship doubles gold (partnering Chirag Shetty) after coming back from an injury was another special and unforgettable,” Satwik informed The Hindu in a chat from Dubai even as the feeling of being newly-crowned champions hasn’t yet sunk in.

“It is never easy to keep winning, especially given these kinds of challenges. What hurt us (him and his partner Chirag Shetty) was that we were losing because of an injury and not for playing badly,” he said.

“Definitely, the fatigue factor is a huge one as we keep playing tournaments given this being the Olympics qualification year,” Satwik said.

“But, definitely, thanks to the continuous support of our doubles coach Mathias Boy, we now understand better how to respect the body and the mind. This we feel is very important to keep winning major titles,” the doubles specialist said. “We are grateful to the entire support staff including the physios,” he added.

“Given the nature of our game, more so for me since I play the attacking game with all those jumps, we realise the importance of recovery with sound sleep, proper diet and equally invaluable workouts,” 22-year-old Satwik explained.