Embrace pressure, don’t fight it: Tendulkar

Tendulkar advises Indian squad on how to perform well.

NEW DELHI:

Sachin Tendulkar has simple advice to offer India’s medal hopefuls at the London Olympics: embrace pressure and do not fight it.

“There is no doubt pressure will be your continuous companion,” the 39-year-old told the Hindustan Times. “If you fight that, it gets difficult. You have to just understand your body and mind and embrace it. It is easier said than done, but I think, once they enter the playing area, they will all forget about the pressure.”

India, a perennial underachiever at the Olympics given its population, is hopeful of a better showing at the Games having sent its largest ever contingent to London. At the Beijing Olympics, India won just three medals – shooter Abhinav Bindra picked up the country’s first individual gold medal, and wrestler Sushil Kumar and boxer Vijender Singh won bronze medals.

Tendulkar urged the country’s squad to just give their best and not worry about the results.

“The entire world is there to win and there is going to be only one winner. It’s not going to be easy, but we have winners in our contingent.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2012.