Asmita Dey said her historic Commonwealth Games gold medal was inspired not only by years of dedication to judo but also by the life story of football icon Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 23-year-old created history by becoming the first Indian judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal after defeating Canada's Heidi Quach in the women's 48kg final in Glasgow. Speaking to Sony Sports after her achievement, Asmita revealed that Ronaldo's journey through personal hardship gave her strength after losing her father to a brain stroke last year.
"The person I watch and read about the most is Cristiano Ronaldo. He has gone through a lot of struggles in his life. I've followed his journey closely.
"He lost his father when he was 19, yet he still became the best player in the world. Today, the whole world knows who he is. I've watched his entire story and learned everything about his journey, so Ronaldo is the person who inspires me the most," she said.
Asmita's own journey has been marked by similar challenges. Her father, Arjun Dey, a bicycle mechanic in Tripura who earned around Rs 300 a day, passed away after suffering a brain stroke in December 2025, just days before she qualified for the Commonwealth Games. The loss left her uncertain about continuing in the sport until her mother encouraged her to resume training and fulfil the dream her father had always supported.
Father's dream, Ronaldo's inspiration
Born in Belonia in South Tripura, Asmita grew up in a modest mud house where financial hardship was a constant part of life. Her father did everything he could to support her sporting ambitions before she joined the Sports Authority of India centre in Bhopal and later secured a job with the Uttar Pradesh Police through the sports quota.
Her journey to the Commonwealth Games was far from easy. Asmita admitted she struggled with anxiety and sleepless nights before the competition, constantly thinking about the opportunity ahead.
Her determination eventually paid off. After defeating Scotland's Eva Ewing and Sarah Adlington in the earlier rounds, she overcame Canada's Heidi Quach 2-1 by yuko in a tense Golden Score final to script history for Indian judo.
Standing on the top step of the podium, the moment was both joyful and emotional. The one person she wished could witness her achievement—her father—was no longer there. But by fulfilling the dream he had nurtured and drawing inspiration from Ronaldo's story of overcoming personal loss, Asmita delivered the biggest performance of her career and secured a landmark victory for Indian judo.
