Indian squash sensation Anahat Singh feels clinching a gold medal at the Asian Games as the best way to gain a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 18-year-old India No 1 was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the launch of the JSW Indian Open scheduled to start at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) from March 18-22.
Singh also admitted that the qualification criteria still remains complex and somewhat confusing. Speaking about the recently announced qualification system, she said clarity is still evolving
“It is quite confusing, and we are still discussing it with players,” she said. However, one aspect is clear. For Asian athletes, a gold medal at the Asian Games ensures automatic qualification for the Olympics, removing uncertainty over rankings in the following two years.
“That is my main aim. If I can qualify through the Asian Games, it would be amazing,” she said. In case that does not happen, she plans to rely on world rankings by competing in major tournaments and improving her position to avoid last-minute qualification pressure.
Anahat, who is now ranked at a career-high World No 19, said every player, regardless of ranking, will be targeting victory.
“Everyone will push themselves to win this tournament. I am going to give my 100% until the Asian Games,” she said, adding that her ultimate goal remains an Olympic medal.
While her ambition to win an Asian Games medal existed earlier, the Olympic qualification pathway has sharpened her focus on gold. “It has changed from aiming for a medal to aiming for gold,” she said.
Discussing her recent schedule, she explained that academic commitments forced her to skip certain events. After spending a month in the US, she chose to take a short break to recover physically and mentally.
Unlike many professional players, she does not have a traditional off-season due to junior commitments, making rest periods critical.
“I wanted some time at home and a break from tournaments,” she said. The break has allowed her to focus on fitness and endurance. She identified stamina as a key area of improvement, noting that long matches previously affected her ability to sustain performance.
“I have been working on being consistent through matches and improving my stamina and strength,” she said, adding that the results of this training will become evident over time.
Balancing junior and senior competitions has also been a work in progress. She has reduced participation in junior events significantly, focusing mainly on the World Junior Championships, which will be her final appearance at that level.
Her revised schedule has helped reduce physical strain and injury risk. “Earlier, my calendar was too crowded, and I was playing tournaments back-to-back. Now I am focusing more on improving my game,” she said.
Alongside her sporting commitments, she is also preparing for her board examinations, scheduled from late April to May 20. She acknowledged the challenge of managing both academics and sport but said important dates remain firmly in her mind.
“Boards and major tournaments are very important to me, so I always remember them and prepare accordingly,” she said.
On her rising world ranking, she said it serves as a measure of progress but is not her primary focus. Her coaches have advised her to concentrate on improving performance rather than tracking rankings closely.
“If I think too much about rankings, I lose focus on my game,” she said, adding that ranking improvements feel like a bonus after tournament wins.
She acknowledged that breaking into the top 20 has made further progress more difficult. “Moving from the 50s to the 20s is easier than moving up within the top 20,” she said, noting that competition between players ranked 10 to 20 is intense.
Finally, she credited her coach, a former world number one, for instilling discipline and intensity in her training. “He is very strict and pushes me to give 100% on court. That has made a huge difference to my game,” she said.
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