Asian Games 2026: Rower Poonam eyes medal in women's coxless four

Poonam initially took up rowing because it offered her an opportunity to continue her education

For Poonam, the journey to the Asian Games has taken her much further than she ever imagined when she first picked up a rowing oar.

What began as an opportunity to pursue her graduation through a sports scholarship has now grown into a professional career, a place in the national camp, and now the opportunity to represent India at the Asian Games. Her time at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) has played an important role in helping her develop the confidence and consistency required to compete at the international level.

Poonam initially took up rowing because it offered her an opportunity to continue her education. Having previously competed in athletics, she was looking for a way to move beyond the limited sporting facilities available in her district when she heard about the opportunities rowing could offer in Chandigarh.

“I started rowing because I got the opportunity to get admission for my graduation through sport. At that time, I never thought that rowing would become my career. I just wanted to make use of the opportunity and see where it could take me,” she said.

Her early days in rowing were not always easy. With limited coaching and challenges in settling into a new environment, Poonam initially set herself smaller targets, hoping to make her mark at the university and national level. Those ambitions continued to grow with every competition, eventually taking her into the national camp and towards the Asian Games.

“Initially, my dream was to win a gold medal at the inter-college and university level. Then I wanted to win a medal at the Senior Nationals. Slowly, my goals started getting bigger. We have won gold medals at the Nationals, Senior Nationals, and National Games, and now I am at the Asian Games,” she said.

For Poonam, training at IIS has been an important part of that progression, giving her access to a high-performance environment and support beyond the training sessions. The combination of coaching, nutrition, physiology, and psychological support has helped her become more confident in what she can achieve.

“There have been a lot of changes after coming to Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS). I have been part of their rowing programme for the past year. We get a lot of support here, and the staff takes care of our nutrition, physiology and psychology. Because of this environment, we feel more confident and feel that we can do much more.” she said.

The Asian Games represents another important step in that journey. After spending the last year training consistently at the national camp, Poonam feels the preparation and experience of competing against strong international crews have given her greater belief ahead of the Games.

“I am feeling very good about going to the Asian Games. We had been working towards getting into the camp for the last few years, and we have been able to stay together and train consistently since last year. That has helped us improve a lot and has given me a lot of confidence,” she said.

A training stint in Europe has further strengthened that confidence. Competing against some of the continent’s leading rowing teams helped Poonam understand how to deal with the pressure of a race and, more importantly, showed her that Indian rowers can compete with the best.

“Our Europe trip was very good because we learned how to handle pressure and control our nervousness during a race. Earlier, when we saw the European teams, we used to think about when we would be able to beat them. But after competing with them, we realised that we are not very far behind. We can compete with them,” she added.

As she prepares for the Asian Games, Poonam is also drawing confidence from the time she and her teammates have spent training together. For a sport where coordination and rhythm are crucial, that familiarity has helped the crew develop a stronger understanding of each other.

“We have spent a lot of time training together, and that has helped us understand each other better. In rowing, everyone has to move together and maintain the same rhythm. The more time we spend together, the more confident we become as a crew.”

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For Poonam, rowing has also evolved from being an opportunity into something she genuinely enjoys. She describes the rhythm of the boat and every stroke as a form of music—something that keeps her completely immersed even during long training sessions.

“Every stroke feels like music. The catch is different, the finish is different, and the movement of the boat is different. We don’t get bored because we are so involved in it. Sometimes we keep rowing for one or two hours and don’t even realise how much time has passed,” she said.

With the Asian Games now firmly in sight, Poonam is also beginning to think beyond the immediate challenge. The experience of competing internationally has raised her ambitions, with Olympic qualification now becoming part of the bigger picture.

From taking up rowing through a college scholarship to preparing for her first Asian Games, Poonam’s journey has taken her from an unexpected opportunity to the highest levels of the sport. With the support of IIS and the experience of competing internationally, she now heads into the Games determined to help India secure a medal in the Women’s Coxless Four, alongside fellow IIS-supported rowers Tendenthoi Devi, Aleena Anto, and Gurbani Kaur.

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