From morning coffee to discussing current affairs with mom at night - A day in the life of Tokyo Olympics-bound G Sathiyan  

2021 has been a year to remember for star Indian paddler G Sathiyan. From defeating compatriot Achanta Sharath Kamal in the National Championships final to sealing his maiden Tokyo Olympics men's singles berth, G Sathiyan has had a truly triumphant year.

Claiming the ticket to Tokyo wasn't easy for G Sathiyan. After an indifferent showing at the WTT Contender Series in Doha, G Sathiyan turned his fortunes around in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers. G Sathiyan first defeated Sharath Kamal before thrashing Pakistan's Rameez Muhammad to seal his Tokyo Olympics berth.

With just less than 80 days left for the Tokyo Olympics, G Sathiyan knows very little time is left for preparation and wants to leave no stone unturned. With his childhood coach Raman sir guiding him 24x7, G Sathiyan is currently training in Chennai for the Tokyo Olympics with Anirban Ghosh as his sparring partner.

It is obvious that an event as big as the Tokyo Olympics needs a special kind of training, special recovery, diet and great discipline. Sportskeeda managed to get a sneak peek into 'a day in the life of G Sathiyan' at this crucial juncture.

THE EXHUBERANT WINNING ROAR💪💪Really happy to come out on the top after an intense battle with Gacina Andrej & secure an important win for the team and finish the season on a high👍👍#sathiyantt #tabletennis #sports #polishsuperliga pic.twitter.com/ZSZ5yQ2BCF

— Sathiyan Gnanasekaran (@sathiyantt) April 15, 2021

How does a day in the life of G Sathiyan look like?

Morning

6 AM – 6.30 AM: "After waking up I do a resting heart rate check to keep track of how the body has recovered and if it’s good enough for the day. Then I do some breathing exercises – Kapalabhati and Anulom Vilom – for 10 minutes to keep the body activated and start the day fresh."

"Post that I take my routine coffee. I am a big coffee lover and have the filter coffee that my mom makes. I have a habit of reading the newspaper for a little while with the morning coffee."

6.30 AM: "I eat some nuts, almonds, and raisins – they're my favourites. It’s a daily routine. I have my breakfast at 7.15 AM and hit the gym at around 7.45 AM."

8 AM – 10 AM: "Of course the training is customized for me with two days of strength, two days of cardio and two days of explosive workouts like box jump and front footwork. So these two hours I spend at the gym."

"After the gym session, I take protein milkshakes along with a post-workout meal which includes egg whites and fruits. Apples and pomegranates have been an integral part of this meal. Corn is a favourite as well."

10.30 AM – 12.30 PM: "After a the gym session I take a small break following which I come to the Raman Table Tennis High Performance Center where I do some skill practice with Raman sir and Anirban Ghosh. Then I have some bananas to get a bit of energy while heading back home."

YAYYY😍😍Officially qualified for Tokyo Olympics 💪😁Always dreamt of being at the Olympics right from my childhood days & certainly a dream come true moment😁😁Years of struggle and sacrifice has definitely paid off😁 pic.twitter.com/hfD4glFE2I

— Sathiyan Gnanasekaran (@sathiyantt) March 18, 2021

Afternoon

"At lunch I eat rice with sambar or chicken curry sometimes. Normally I eat non-veg twice a week. The lunch also includes green vegetables and salads. I go to bed around 2PM and take a small nap of one or one and half hours. The afternoon nap is very critical because it energises your body for the evening."

"After waking up at 3PM or 3.30PM, I drink green tea along with a sandwich. It has to be brown bread in order to reduce carbohydrates."

Evening

4.30PM – 8PM: "I head directly for practice at around 4pm. For close to three and half hours I engage in intense practice involving training with four sets of exercises, some hardcore footwork, specifically service-related footwork, service-related exercises and some multi-ball as well, depending on the schedule."

"After that again I have the egg whites for protein. During the game and training I also take beatroot supplement which is an energy superfood. After returning home its family time where my mom and I sit and talk about everything."

"Basically during lunch and dinner, we talk about politics, relatives and we discuss about different aspects of life and beyond."

8.45 PM: "I take dinner and go to bed probably at 10.30PM or 11PM."

Sunday is an off-day for G Sathiyan

"Sunday is an off day for me. That day I watch some movies and if everything is open I usually get a massage and sauna steam for recovery which really help. Now it’s all closed, so I take an ice bath and mostly rest."