Mountain cyclist and Steadfast Athlete Pranita Soman proved once again that she’s the undisputed champion of women’s MTB by winning three gold medals and the best women’s player award at the 19th Senior, Junior and Sub Junior National Mountain Bike Cycling Championships in Panchkula, Haryana. The 22-year-old stood first in the Women’s XCO Elite, XCT Elite, and Mixed Team Relay Categories- her third win in three years. Pranita had outperformed herself at the 17th and 18th National Mountain Biking Championships, winning three golds each in the same categories and the best women’s player award in both editions.
Pranita battled a back injury to achieve the feat, sharing that her overall performance has been affected for the last few months because of the injury. She said it felt great to win the event.
Injuries can demotivate competing athletes as they sometimes lead to the fear of missing out, the frustration of taking off from training days, loss of confidence and much more. However, inspiring athletes like Pranita Prafull Soman come out as a winner despite all obstacles.
The reason for the ace Steadfast Athlete’s success lies in her ‘Never Give Up’ attitude.
“It was hard for me to participate in the 19th MTB nationals because of my back injury since November 2022. I was out of practice for about two months and started practising only two days before the Nationals,” says Pranita.
“The basic struggle every athlete faces is the injury when he/she and his/her performance is at the peak.”
Pranita clinched the second position at the Maharashtra state trials. The achievement made her work hard to reach her full potential for the Nationals, where she focused on her endurance.
Pranita celebrates every win, rectifying her mistakes to avoid them in future.
“There is never just one but many things I do after each win. One of them is to find out my mistakes just after my race and analyse them, so I do not repeat them in future and perform better in my upcoming races,” she says.
She is head over heels for mountain biking and says the challenge and adventure attract her to the sport.
Pranita says the most important attribute for success in mountain biking is your skills, how you control your bike, and your technique.
Pranita began her cycling journey in 2016. She started with road cycling but later got fascinated by mountain biking. She won her first National medal the same year, which motivated her to work harder.
Pranita focuses on endurance, technical work, and power during off season and speed and skills during the racing season. Besides cycling, she includes swimming, gymming, and running to strengthen and maintain her fitness.
Asked about her preparations in extreme weather as a competing mountain biker, Pranita says, “The beauty of mountain biking is that it’s always great fun at any time, in any weather. I think no weather condition can stop you! However, perfect clothing according to weather is essential to ride perfectly and comfortably.”
She spoke about the most beneficial attribute for success in mountain biking, “In this challenging and adventurous sport, the most important attribute is how you control your bike, your skills. Your technique also matters a lot,” says the Steadfast Athlete.
Pranita thanks Steadfast Nutrition for fuelling her athletic journey and helping her win. She says the organisation is quick to deliver supplements no matter where she is.
“Steadfast has been very helpful in improving my overall performance. The organisation has been so quick to deliver the supplements no matter where I am or how fast I need them. They assure the parcel gets delivered at the right place and at the right time,” says Pranita.
Pranita’s favourite supplements are the energy drinks Snergy and Carborance by Steadfast Nutrition and the recently-launched hydration drink SteadLyte.
“I use Carborance before my race as it is the best source of carbohydrates. I use Snergy and Steadlytes during my race since it keeps me hydrated and gives instant energy”, she says.
Pranita’s source of encouragement is her father, who motivates her to work harder and harder.
“Age is just a number” for athletes like Pranita- she has achieved a lot at a young age and inspired youth who want to become successful in the sport.
Her advice to young people is: Every sport has its pros and cons, and so has Mountain Biking. One must be consistent to be the best.
Pranita aims to compete and win gold at the Asian Championship 2023 and the Asian Games. Her ultimate goal is to stand tall on the international podium, holding the Tricolour.
Steadfast Nutrition is delighted to power her in her athletic journey and achieve top form.
