Extra year: New hope for some, a struggle for others

Postponement of the Tokyo Olympics could brighten the prospects of some athletes but it may also spoil retirement plans of those looking to end on a high

nNEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Purely from the health and safety perspective, the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic was inevitable, and had the unanimous stamp of approval from athletes. But restrict it to the narrow prism of sporting performance, and the delay may turn out to be a boon for some, and a bane for others.

Take Neeraj Chopra for example—the star javelin thrower is one of the country’s brightest medal prospects, but had spent the whole of last year in recovery after an injury to his throwing arm which needed a tricky surgery. Chopra hit the qualifying mark for the Olympics in January, in a low-key event which was his first competitive outing since his injury lay-off. He was only testing out his arm; imagine the possibilities now that he has an entire year to keep working on his game.

Chopra was slowly yet steadily returning to his optimum, but losing out an entire year and paucity of competitions leading up to the Games in July would have cast a shadow on his medal hopes. Now, the 22-year-old can press the reset button again.

“We should look at this (the postponement) positively as it would allow us one year more to plan and train for the Olympics,” Chopra said.

Some of India’s top athletes have struggled through 2019 with chronic injuries. Unlike Chopra, gymnast Dipa Karmakar, who came agonisingly close to a medal at the 2016 Rio Games, had given up on making it to Tokyo 2020 after injuring her knee twice last year. Her coach BS Nandi is optimistic that the 26-year-old can now grab the chance to earn a berth for next year.

“It’s a good opportunity. We will continue our quest for the Olympics. There are two World Cups that are part of the qualification programme, and we can try there,” Nandi said.

Time was of the essence for Saina Nehwal as well, whose window of opportunity to sneak into the Tokyo race was diminishing with each passing day, and tournament, before all sports around the world came to a standstill.

India’s 2012 Olympics bronze medallist shuttler has seen a dramatic dip in form lately and a major reason has been her tryst with a wide range of injuries. The postponement not only gives the 30-year-old a much-needed break to recover and re-energise her body, but also a longer rope to make the cut for next year’s Olympics.

“Her body has taken a toll the last year,” said husband and fellow top player Parupalli Kashyap.

“You’ve been seeing the unfit Saina for so many months. She was playing well in 2018 but after that it’s been a lot of pain for her.”

Regular health issues and multiple hospitalisations stopped Nehwal from proper training stints, forcing her to withdraw from tournaments. In the rare windows of good health, she was not at peak fitness.

“The problem is when we plan training blocks, you have some injury and it goes for a toss. One or two weeks go in rest and then you play the tournament (without enough training) because you have to,” says Kashyap. “The standard (in women’s singles) is such that if you are one percent fitter, you are in a different league. If you are one percent less fit, then suddenly any ordinary player has a chance against you.”

That long rope will also be enjoyed by the country’s top golfers who were yet to seal their Tokyo berths. Anirban Lahiri, who participated at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has new hope.

“I was staring down the barrel as I wasn’t playing well and did not see a lot of opportunities coming my way to qualify had the Tokyo Games happened on time. With a year’s window, I have time to make the Olympic squad,” he said. The same goes for two-time European Tour winner Shubhankar Sharma and SSP Chawrasia, who partnered Lahiri in Rio.

Injuries, a loss of form, and then there’s doping bans. Wrestler Narsingh Yadav had qualified for Rio in 2016 before being involved in a dramatic brawl with two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar for the 74kg category spot for the Games. Things just got worse when he tested positive for a banned substance before the Games and was banned for four years. That ban will come to an end this July, giving Yadav a shot at redemption.

“It is destiny that this opportunity has come my way ... I will be looking to make a return to the mat the moment the ban is over in July,” Yadav said.

A YEAR TOO LONG

For some, the historic Olympics postponement could not have come at a worse time in their career.

Like Mary Kom, who was eager to sign off her glittering career on a high in Tokyo. She was looking good for it too, having sealed her berth at the Asian qualifiers earlier this month. But she will now have to prolong her fitness, skills and mental grit till 2021, when she will be 38. Not that the six-time world champion foresees any problems with it. “I am not old. I don’t have any worries about going on for another year, about staying strong. Mentally, physically, will power—all of it is very strong...i don’t worry because I’ve already qualified for the Olympics. I will fight,” Mary Kom said.

That same fighting spirit will have to be summoned by PR Sreejesh, who has been the Indian men’s hockey team’s undisputed custodian over the past decade.

But he will be 32 in May 2021, and his reflexes, which have shown signs of slowing down, aren’t going to get any quicker a year on. He has the young Krishan Pathak, who came up with a man-of-the-match show against world champions Belgium in a Pro League game last month, breathing down his neck.

“Obviously there was a lot of disappointment when I got to know that the Olympics were postponed. The postponement means I have to continue to work hard, stay in top form both mentally and physically—that’s the most important thing.

“No doubt playing my third Olympic Games would be very special, but I can’t take my place

Neeraj Chopra javelin

An elbow injury and subsequent surgery last year had kept him out of action for almost 12 months, before he clinched Olympic qualification immediately on return in January. Now the Asian Games champion gets plenty of time to train, compete, and grow.

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Narsingh Yadav wrestling

His four-year doping ban that came into effect during the 2016 Rio Olympics ends in July. The world championships and Asian Games medallist plans to return to the mat with a bang. That will help make amends after his Olympic dreams had died in a hail of controversies.

Disadvantage

Leander Paes tennis

The 18-time Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles champion had announced 2020 as his final year on tour. But his quest for an elusive Olympics doubles medal (he won a bronze at the 1996 Games) may push him to extend his professional life into a 30th year, though it will be tough.

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in the team for granted,” Sreejesh said.

Staying in top form will also be a challenge for veteran paddler Sharath Kamal, who recently won the Oman Open title and was picking up pace in his bid to qualify

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Dipa Karmakar gymnastics

The vault specialist, fourth at Rio, has struggled with injuries after an ACL surgery in 2017. The knee troubled her at the 2019 World Cup in Baku. She missed the Doha World Cup and the world championships in October. This postponement gives her a ray of hope.

Sharath Kamal table tennis

A loss to Slovenia in the Round of 16 in the Olympic qualification tournament in Portugal spoiled his chances of making a direct entry. But Sharath, ranked 38, was confident of making it through the rankings after hitting form before the pandemic hit. Age won’t be his ally.

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for Tokyo this year.

But the 37-year-old will have to begin working on his peaking phase all over again, a process he had started in October last year. “As an athlete it is a bit hard as I will have to start the entire process

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Saina Nehwal badminton

Her current Olympic qualification rank is 20. She must be placed in the top 16 to qualify. She spent most of last year grappling with injuries and will hope to regain full fitness and get back on the quest. A strong return will help India’s first badminton medallist sign off in style.

PR Sreejesh hockey

India's last line of defence on the turf will have to keep his reflexes way above promising youngsters like 22-year-old Krishan Pathak, who is pushing him for India's No.1 spot. His experience and ability to motivate team mates is a bonus, but staying at the top of the game will be a challenge.

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again,” he said.

Perhaps the most crushing blow of the Games delay will be felt by Leander Paes, who was playing his final season as a professional tennis player and had hoped to squeeze in an eighth

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Anirban Lahiri & Shubhankar Sharma golf

Rashid Khan (world No 185) and Udayan Mane (223) are the top Indians for qualification to the Tokyo Olympics. Sharma (283) and Lahiri (497) can chase ranking and qualify when the Tour resumes. Lahiri represented India in Rio.

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Mary Kom boxing

The six-time world champion who will turn 38 in March 2021 has one final mission—winning an Olympic gold. She achieved the first part of that mission by qualifying for Tokyo, but will time be kind to her? The gritty athlete who won bronze in the 2012 London Games though is determined to make it happen.

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Olympic appearance in Tokyo, although it would have been a long shot.

The 46-year-old is reconsidering his retirement plans, but odds are his ‘one last roar’ will end quietly instead.