'I've sometimes had to fight against boys to train'

Garima Chaudharyis the sole judoka or practitioner of judo representing India at the London Olympics. The 22-year-old athlete from Meerut, ranked 88 th in the world, qualified for the Olympics in the 63-kg category after putting on steady performances at the Paris World Championships, the World Cup in Warsaw and the 2012 Asian Championship held in Tashkent.Speaking with Arun Sharma, Chaudhary discussed the position of judo in India, her family's response when she took to the sport, the rigorous training involved - and how she's fought against male judokas too:
How did you take up judo? Was it something your family was familiar with?
No, it wasn't something related to my family at all...due to my rather combative attitude actually, my mother put me into judo training.
Please tell us about your background?
My father is a transporter and my mother has a beauty saloon. I have one elder sister working in Mumbai. We are a middle-class family from Meerut. I studied there up to class XII but i was always more inclined towards sports. I was good at kabaddi, athletics and cricket and my family never stopped me from playing sports... my father did worry sometimes about whether i could concentrate properly on my studies with so much sport going on but my mother always sup-ported me.
When you took up judo professionally, did you get state support towards funding or training?
Well, earlier i was representing Uttar Pradesh but due to the state association's attitude, i was forced to leave...now i am representing Haryana and getting very good support, both from the Haryana government and judo association as well as from the National Institute of Sports (NIS) executive director L S Ranawat.
You are India's sole Olympian judoka - where does India rank globally in this sport?
We have very talented judokas actually but like other sports, due to a lack of proper planning, we are not where we should have been...i've sometimes had to fight against boys to train. This is quite a good way to better your skills.
What sort of training have you been following?
There's specific fitness and tactical training before the Olympics. Training is really the polishing of one's technique, keeping in mind your opponent's moves. Also, there's specific strength and psychological training, both crucial.
I've been practising six hours a day in three sessions that include judo bouts, speed work, circuit training, working with weights, gym sessions, sauna, swimming and cycling up to 15 or 20 km a day. Jiwan Sharma and Divya Sharma have been training me at the NIS Patiala centre since 2004. And i'm getting expert training in France under my coach Jiwan Sharma's guidance.
So, are you confident of winning big at London?
I am confident but i can't predict anything. It is the Olympics - you know how tough it could be...but yes, i will continue to train intensively in judo and i want the Indian flag to fly high at every sports meet.