Paddy Upton is no stranger to India. But he was supposed to play chess.
Upton, one of the most sought-after mental coaches in international sport, helped India win the 2011 Cricket World Cup and then a bronze medal in men’s ice hockey at the Paris Olympics that year, and also worked with the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). ). Now he has helped D. Gukesh become the youngest world chess champion in history.
And he arrived here in time to witness Gukesh’s triumph, although he had not planned it.
“I decided to come here because I really had a strong feeling that I would come to see Gukesh win,” Upton said Sports stars.
“It was a last minute decision. I just knew he was going to finish strong. I knew he was in a great situation,” he added.
So what was his role in Gukesh’s preparations for the big match?
“I think there were some really big hurdles he had to overcome, like any athlete,” Upton says.
“At the age of 18, to approach such an important moment, to be perfectly prepared, and not to be over-prepared, over-excited and overworked. And if you do this, you will be tired at the beginning of the 18-day event. But you should also not be underprepared and do not take shortcuts,” he added.
He was impressed with Gukesh as a person and as a player. “I found someone who had an extraordinary capacity for self-reflection, the ability to look into his mind and understand what he was thinking,” Upton says.
“This is one of the most important things for me as a mental coach. The work I was able to do with Gukesh was on such a profound level because of his capacity for self-reflection and self-awareness,” Upton added.
So what is it about India and Upton?
“For me it’s just a big thank you for inviting me,” he smiled.
