How Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Asmita Dey's historic CWG gold medal run
Asmita Dey’s historic Commonwealth Games gold medal was inspired not just by years of hard work on the mat, but also by the remarkable life story of football legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 23-year-old became the first Indian judoka to win Commonwealth Games gold after defeating Canada’s Heidi Quach in the women’s 48kg final in Glasgow. Speaking to Sony Sports after her historic triumph, Asmita revealed that Ronaldo’s journey through personal tragedy became a source of strength after she lost her father to a brain stroke last year.
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“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.”
Asmita’s own journey has been shaped by similar adversity. Her father, Arjun Dey, who worked as a bicycle mechanic in Tripura and earned barely Rs 300 a day, died after suffering a brain stroke in December 2025, just days before she secured qualification for the Commonwealth Games. The loss left her questioning whether she could continue competing before her mother encouraged her to return to training and fulfil the dream her father had nurtured.
FATHER’S DREAM, RONALDO’S INSPIRATION
Born in Belonia in South Tripura, Asmita grew up in a modest mud house where financial struggles were a constant reality. Her father stretched every rupee he earned to support her sporting ambitions before she eventually joined the Sports Authority of India centre in Bhopal and later secured a job with the Uttar Pradesh Police through the sports quota.
The road to Glasgow was anything but smooth. Asmita admitted she battled anxiety and sleepless nights before the Games, constantly thinking about the opportunity that lay ahead.
Her perseverance paid off in spectacular fashion. After overcoming Scotland’s Eva Ewing and Sarah Adlington earlier in the competition, she defeated Canada’s Heidi Quach 2-1 by yuko in a tense Golden Score final to script Indian judo history.
Standing atop the podium, the moment was bittersweet. The one person she wanted beside her was no longer there. Yet in chasing the dream her father had helped build, and drawing inspiration from Ronaldo’s own journey through loss, Asmita produced the defining performance of her career and gave Indian judo a landmark moment.
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