Pranati Nayak Targets First Asian Games Medal After Injury Comeback
Pranati Nayak heads into her fourth Asian Games after recovering from injuries, with the Indian gymnast targeting her maiden continental Games medal.
Pranati Nayak is heading into her fourth Asian Games after overcoming another injury setback, with the 31-year-old gymnast targeting her first medal at the continental event. She is India’s only gymnast in the Aichi-Nagoya Games and has been working to regain both physical fitness and confidence.
Nayak was affected by plantar fasciitis during the season and missed the women’s vault final at the Commonwealth Games. She said she is now fully fit and views injuries as an unavoidable part of a gymnast’s career. Her recovery has also involved rebuilding confidence while attempting difficult movements and vaults.
The gymnast had suffered a Grade 2 ankle ligament tear in 2025 but returned strongly, winning silver at the FIG World Challenge Cup in Tashkent in May 2026. She attributed her Commonwealth Games setback to a running error rather than injury and said she has since focused on landing, flexibility and technical execution.
Mental preparation has also been an important part of her comeback. Nayak has worked with psychologists and used mental repetition of routines to maintain focus when physical training is limited.
She enters the Asian Games with three Asian Championship medals and World Cup bronze medals from Cairo in 2024 and Antalya in 2025. However, an Asian Games medal remains missing from her collection. Her high-difficulty Tsukahara 720 remains an option, but she will decide her vault based on her landings and performance during competition.
