#58: 31 kg Later! ITL Athlete Conquers Himself To Become Club’s Newest International Medalist
A week ago, ITL’s Ashik Sunil Bindhu stood on a podium in Cardiff, Wales, with his second-ever international medal. A feat in its own right considering the training involved. That medal, however, is only half of his actual triumph.
Ashik Sunil Bindhu (left) and Coach Gianluca Barbara (right).
The real kicker here, is that Ashik claimed his podium finish off the back of a stunning 31 kg weight loss in as little as five months.
Ashik walked into the Dojang in January this year, aged 26 years and weighing in at 105 kg. His wish? To turn his life around and taste competition again. Something he hadn’t done in three years; ever since he departed from his hometown of Kerala, India.
In 2021, a potential national selection was on the cards. He had, after all, placed first in several state and regional championships. But life had different plans. Injuries and work-life troubles, for starters. Together, these led him on a journey away from his home, and to life anew in Malta.
“I lost myself somewhere along the way,” Ashik said. “A poor diet, alcohol, smoking, excessive partying, and the wrong company took me down the wrong road.”
Ashik’s five month transformation.
Eventually, Ashik found himself on our tiny island, working to support himself as well as his family back home.
Ashik prior to his first fight in Cardiff, Wales (2024).
The sands of time continued to fall, but Ashik’s desire to return to his sport kept calling. Up to a point when he could no longer ignore it. That was when he made a decision.
“Once I learned of ITL, I checked out their videos on social media and I immediately knew it was the right place for me. The night before, I couldn’t even sleep I was so excited.”
“I just knew that through them, one day, I would become an athlete again.”
Desire was one thing, but having made his comeback at 105 kg, there was still much that needed to be done before Ashik could grace the competition scene again.
“As fate would have it, it turned out that my new coach, Gianluca, was a nutritionist. So I asked him for guidance,” he added.
“Many of my friends back at home also kept checking in, offering their support and guidance. We stay in touch almost every day.”
Ashik was put on a whole foods program. Three meals daily, centered around lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. He was also included in the senior team roster where he trained hard four times per week; without missing a single session.
“I never really knew how many calories I was consuming. But I did cut out all junk food, oils, sugar, and alcohol. I stopped smoking too. I simply ate three meals each day and prioritized quality proteins and plants.”
“I just went about it consistently and watched the weight creep off. Meanwhile, I got better and better at Taekwondo.”
Ashik’s five month transformation in pictures (the final picture was taken in May 2024).
Ashik would check his weight at the end of each session, watching it slowly creep down day after day. By the second month, his post-session weight check became something of a club ritual, taking place every night beside his trusted teammates.
Come May (month four) Ashik ended his session at 80kg. That was when he received his first international call-up. To Nis, Serbia, where he won a silver medal in the senior -80 kg category.
ITL Medalists in Nis, Serbia in May 2024.
Ashik’s performance in Nis earned him his second call-up. This time, to Cardiff, where he was set to compete in the -80 kg category once again. On weigh-in day, however, Ashik weighed 73.2kg. This meant that had to pay a fine to change his category to -74 kg. Nobody likes paying a fine, but I think we can all imagine he did so with a smile on his face.
The - 74 kg category was the lightest division Ashik had ever entered.
ITL players and coaches (from left to right): Sheron Fernando, Gianluca Barbara, Ashik Sunil Bindhu and Ditmir Vodinaj.
Ashik’s ongoing journey became an inspiration to the ITL family, who continue to work towards some pretty ambitious dreams together.
As for what the future holds: who knows? But with one silver and one bronze medal in his pocket, many would already say this young athlete is well on his way to some serious results.
