After three podium finishes at continental level, gymnast Pranati Nayak braces for Chinese challenge on vault ahead of Asian Games
India’s elite gymnast Pranati Nayak has once again demonstrated her consistency and courage by clinching a third consecutive bronze medal on vault at the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2025 in Jecheon, South Korea. With this performance, she not only etched her name deeper into India’s sporting history but also ignited hope for a rare medal at the upcoming Asian Games—a competition that has traditionally been dominated by Chinese and Korean gymnasts.
Nayak’s latest podium finish cements her position as India’s most decorated female gymnast on vault at the continental level, surpassing trailblazer Dipa Karmakar, who previously won two Asian-level medals. But as the dust settles on Jecheon, the focus now shifts to the 2026 Asian Games, where the Chinese vault brigade looms large as her most formidable obstacle.
The Bronze Journey: Three Years, Three Medals
Pranati’s vault journey across Asia has been nothing short of inspirational. She first announced her arrival on the continental stage in 2019, claiming bronze at the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar. She followed it up with another third-place finish in 2022 in Doha and completed her hat-trick in 2025.
Her latest vault performance—scoring a combined 13.466—was a testament to her improved technique, grit, and mental strength. Nayak executed a difficult Tsukahara 720 twist (difficulty 5.2) as her first vault and followed it with a cleaner handspring pike salto with a 360° twist (difficulty 4.4). While her first vault suffered a slight landing deduction, her second attempt impressed judges and confirmed her place on the podium.
The Chinese Challenge Ahead
Though Nayak’s performances have been laudable, China continues to set the benchmark in Asian gymnastics. At the Jecheon Championships, Zhang Yihan of China claimed the gold with 13.650, followed closely by Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Quynh Nhu (13.583). Both gymnasts displayed impeccable execution and minimal landing errors—areas where Nayak and her team believe improvements are still possible.
The Asian Games, however, present a more intense test. The vault category will feature not just Zhang and Nguyen, but also seasoned gymnasts from Japan, North Korea, and Kazakhstan, each capable of pulling off high-difficulty routines with near-perfection.
Coach’s Corner: Strength, Stability, and Strategy
Pranati’s long-time coach, Ashok Mishra, remains optimistic about her Asian Games prospects. “She has the power, strength, and technique,” he noted after the Jecheon medal win. “Now it’s about clean landings and fine-tuning execution. We’re working on upgrading the second vault and reducing post-flight errors.”
In preparation for the Asian Games, the team plans to push for a slightly higher difficulty rating without compromising stability. “If she can stick her landings, we could be looking at a score closer to 13.8 or even higher,” Mishra adds.
The team is also considering introducing a Yurchenko-style vault into her training routine—one that offers a better balance between difficulty and execution score if performed cleanly.
Lessons from Antalya: Battling Legends, Building Confidence
Earlier in 2025, Nayak competed in the FIG World Cup in Antalya, where she secured another bronze with a total vault score of 13.417. The event saw her compete alongside gymnastics legend Oksana Chusovitina of Uzbekistan. Beating the veteran gymnast gave Nayak a psychological edge, especially in terms of confidence heading into higher-stakes tournaments.
“What stood out was her composure under pressure,” said an official from the Gymnastics Federation of India. “Antalya was a turning point. She knows now that she belongs on the podium, even among world-class names.”
The Road to the Asian Games: A Race Against Time
With only a few months left before the 2026 Asian Games, Nayak’s training has intensified. While the physical aspect of vault preparation is grueling—marked by repetition, core strengthening, and flexibility—the mental aspect is equally critical.
“She’s meditating daily and working with a sports psychologist to manage nerves,” her coach reveals. “One slip in vault can mean a full-point deduction. Mental focus is just as important as technical readiness.”
Moreover, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has ramped up support, providing better mats, upgraded equipment, and international exposure to fine-tune her run-up, take-off, and landings.
Why It Matters: Inspiring a New Generation
Pranati Nayak’s story resonates beyond medals. Born in a modest household in West Bengal, she overcame socio-economic hurdles to become India’s premier vault gymnast. Her journey—from practicing on sand-filled pits to rubbing shoulders with the world’s best—is an inspiration for aspiring athletes, particularly young girls in smaller towns.
In a country where gymnastics still struggles for mainstream visibility, Pranati’s consistency is helping rewrite the narrative. “Every time she climbs the podium, she inspires ten more girls to take up vault,” says her coach.
Can She Make History at the Asian Games?
The odds may be stacked against her, with the Chinese gymnasts in top form and an ultra-competitive field. Yet, Pranati Nayak has proven she can rise to the occasion, time and again. If her vault difficulty improves and her landings sharpen, the Asian Games could well become her golden moment.
For now, all eyes are on her as she fine-tunes her routines, with one question echoing across the Indian gymnastics community: Can she finally turn bronze into gold?
