New Delhi: Indian chess grandmaster D Gukesh, who recently clinched the World Chess Championship after defeating maestro Ding Liren in Singapore on Thursday, said that his world title was not just a result of good strategy on the chess board. He highlighted the mental conditioning provided by his coach Paddy Upton, who helped him tame the mental and emotional pressure of competing on such a grand stage.
18-year-old Gukesh defeated Ding Liren of China to become the youngest-ever champ of the world title. He returned home on Monday and received a rousing welcome from enthusiastic fans in Chennai. “In a world championship, it’s not only about chess. There is a lot of mental and emotional pressure to deal with. Paddy’s teachings helped me in that regard,” Gukesh spoke in a press conference organised by his childhood school Velammal Vidyalaya.
Upton, who is a renowned mental conditioning coach, worked with Gukesh in the build-up to and during the 14-game grand event in Singapore. “The suggestions and the conversations I have had with him, have been very important for me and my development as a player,” Gukesh highlighted.
How did Gukesh meet Upton?
Gukesh also went on to talk about how his association started with Upton, who hails from South Africa. Upton has the remarkable experience of working with the 2011 cricket World Cup-winning Indian cricket team and the national men’s hockey team that clinched a bronze at the Summer Olympics 2024.
“Paddy has been a very important part of my team. After I won the Candidates (April), I asked Sandeep sir (Sandeep Singhal of Westbridge Capital) for a mental trainer. He immediately put me in touch with Paddy Upton, who has a lot of experience working with high-performance athletes,” Gukesh recalled.
A day after Gukesh lifted the world title, Upton, in an interview with PTI, lauded the teenager’s “self-awareness”. “I think that’s the thing that’s really stood out, his ability to recognise his thoughts and manage his mind and his understanding of how to do so,” Upton said. Gukesh had lost the opening game to Liren but was unfazed by the loss and went on to bag the title, which Upton too highlighted in his conversation, saying “That really is a mark of a champion.”
(With PTI inputs)
D Gukesh scripted history becoming the youngest ever World Chess Champion as he defeated Ding Liren of China in an arduous battle and landed himself the elite title in Singapore on December 12. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
