Every day is Olympics at the moment: Paris-bound boxer Parveen

CHENNAI: After undergoing a gruelling training session, Parveen Hooda seems to be in good spirits. Two sessions on the day and the boxer is satisfied with the quality of her training. One of the four pugilists from the country to have secured a quota for the Paris Olympics, her objective is crystal clear. And she’s taking it one day at a time.

“It’s the process that matters. I take it one day at a time. Every day is the Olympics. I don’t think too far ahead. Today (Wednesday), I had two sessions and I was looking to give my best. Sometimes I visualise going to the Olympic arena and reaching the podium. But if I overthink, then it could be an issue. That’s why my main focus is to improve every day,” she tells this daily during an interview.

With just over two months left for the quadrennial event to kick off, this is a critical period for Parveen, who had earned the Olympic quota during the Asian Games in the 57kg weight category.

“It is very strict at the moment. I’m not allowed to go home as well. The coaches have been closely monitoring me, looking at my strengths and weaknesses. I’m mostly working on increasing my strength, because it’s hard to make other notable changes in this short period.”

This period of Olympic cycle is a new territory for the 23-year-old, who’ll be making her Olympic bow in Paris. For instance, it’s possible for athletes, especially first-timers, to get carried away and incur injuries. “If we don’t warm up properly, then we’ll feel extra load during training and there are chances of getting injured. So focussing on strength work helps in that regard. It reduces the chances of having injuries,” Parveen, who was recently part of a training programme in Turkey, notes.

However, she has previously demonstrated that she has the mental make-up to handle tough situations.