Khelo India 2022: "My goal is to become exactly like my coach, Yashpal Solanki," says gold medalist Judoka

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Shraddha Chopade of Maharashtra won a gold medal in -48 kg in ongoing Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2022 on a warm Thursday afternoon, to loud cheers and enthusiastic claps at the Indoor Hall of Sports Authority of India in Bhopal.

Shraddha is an athlete from Maharashtra, but she trains at SAI, the National Centers of Excellence (NCOE) Bhopal. So, winning a gold medal here was like winning at home.

Chopade trains with national champion judokas like TulikaMaan, Vijay Yadav, Yash Ghangas, and Olympian Avtar Singh. All of them have won medals for their states and countries. They all fight in different weight categories, but one thing that’s common is their coach, Arjuna Awardee Yashpal Solanki.

Judoka Shraddha made sure to show her coach the respect and appreciation he deserved after winning a gold medal.She said, "I joined SAI Bhopal a year ago; I was already a good judoka before coming here, but Yashpal sir gave me the right direction." Many people say that I want to be like this judoka, etc. When they say that, they mean that they want their achievements or their game pattern.

She added, "But I want to be like my coach, not in terms of the achievements, but I want to be the kind of person he is." Fearless, helpful, kind, and strong-headed He made a name for himself when Judo wasn’t that famous, and he fights for his Judokas. "My only inspiration is him."