'If you want to succeed in life, you have to be kind of egotistical': Madhavan’s son Vedaant on his winning mindset for Asian Games 2026. How is the swimmer preparing for it?

At 21, Vedaant Madhavan has already created an identity of his own in the world of competitive swimming. The son of actor R Madhavan, Vedaant chose sports over cinema and has steadily built a career as an elite freestyle swimmer. Now, he is preparing for one of the biggest challenges of his career, representing India at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

Vedaant will compete in the 200m freestyle, 200m backstroke and 4x200m freestyle relay at the continental sporting event, which will take place from September 19 to October 4. Ahead of his Asian Games debut, the swimmer has opened up about his preparation, his changing training routine and, most importantly, the mindset he believes is needed to succeed at the highest level.

Vedaant Madhavan believes a winning mindset is crucial

In a recent interview with PTI, Vedaant spoke about the mental pressure that comes with competing on a major international stage. For him, physical preparation is only one part of the equation. An athlete also needs to believe that victory is possible before entering the competition.


He said, "If you want to succeed in life, you have to be kind of ego egotistical where in your mind it's already fixed and like you know that you're going to win no matter what. I feel like that's the kind of mindset you need to have where you shoot for the if you shoot for the star you you land on the moon. So that's the kind of mindset I try to keep and yeah very important to have a really strong and good mindset."




He explained that he believes a successful person needs to have a strong conviction in their own ability and should mentally picture themselves winning rather than constantly questioning whether they can succeed.

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The swimmer's point was not about arrogance but about self-belief. He believes athletes need to set ambitious targets and carry the confidence that they can achieve them. According to Vedaant, aiming for the biggest possible goal can push a person to perform better even if the final result falls short of that exact target.

For an athlete heading into their first Asian Games, that mental approach could be particularly important. Vedaant will be competing against some of the continent's strongest swimmers and will have to deal with the expectations that come with representing India.

Why Vedaant is changing his swimming training

Vedaant has largely been known as a long-distance swimmer. However, his events at the Asian Games will require him to adapt, particularly in the 200m freestyle, which he considers outside his usual comfort zone.

Speaking about his preparation, Vedaant revealed that he has changed his training approach over the past few months. Instead of relying only on his endurance-based preparation, he has been putting greater emphasis on strength and conditioning.

Weight training has become an important part of his routine. He has been working specifically on his legs and kick, while also focusing on improving his ankle flexibility. These areas are important for generating speed, particularly when competing in shorter-distance events.

Vedaant believes the changes are already helping him in the pool. His focus has been on becoming stronger and faster so that he can perform effectively in both the 200m freestyle and the relay.

The shift is a major one for a swimmer who has traditionally specialised in longer distances. Rather than approaching the new events with the same preparation, Vedaant has chosen to identify his weaker areas and work on them ahead of the Asian Games.

Diet, discipline and Vedaant's journey in swimming

Vedaant has also placed considerable importance on nutrition as part of his preparation. During the PTI interaction, he spoke about India's sporting potential and said the country has plenty of naturally talented athletes.

However, he believes diet, discipline and motivation need greater attention. Vedaant has been working with a dietitian and said improving his nutrition, including increasing his protein intake, has helped his form and speed.



His own journey has been built around a strict routine. His training has involved early mornings, with reports of him waking up around 4:30 am for swimming sessions. That discipline has been an important part of his development as a professional athlete.

Vedaant has also already achieved success at the international level. He has won five gold medals at the Malaysian Open and secured podium finishes at the Danish, Latvian and Thailand Opens. He has also collected multiple gold medals at the Khelo India Youth Games.

Now, the 21-year-old is ready to take another step forward. His first Asian Games appearance will test both his physical preparation and the mindset he considers essential for success.