Staking claim from the fringes
NO PUSHOVERS From Dipa Karmakar in gymnastics to Anirban Lahiri in golf, not-so-popular disciplines too hold out hope for the country in Rio
In the build-up to Rio, the Indira Gandhi Indoor Sports Complex has been home to gymnast Dipa Karmakar and judoka Avtar Singh.
Dipa, the first Indian gymnast to qualify for the Olympics, says she is making the most of the resources. “There is a physio and masseur, and there are facilities for recovery after a hard workout. We also have good equipment,” she said.
Dipa had just three weeks of serious training ahead of the test event at Rio in April. She got the chance to compete after two gymnasts from North Korea withdrew. By virtue of being the reserve, Dipa got the nod, and she didn’t look back.
“I’m fine and training for more than seven hours a day,” she said on being asked if she had recovered from an ankle injury.
Foreign exposure doesn’t interest her as “there are better facilities here”. “Home ground is fine with me,” she added.
“The plan is to go step-by-step. First, it is to qualify for the final, and then go all out for the podium finish.” TALL JUDOKA Not far away from the gymnastics hall, Avtar Singh and coach Yashpal Solanki are training in the cycling velodrome. The emphasis is on technique. After a month-long training stint in Hungary, Avtar is busy fine-tuning technique on home turf. His event starts August 10.
Solanki says the focus is on camouflaging weaknesses and examining videos of rivals in 90kg. “It will help us tackle rivals and reach the quarterfinals,” he said. “Once we reach the last-eight stage, the plan will change.”
Of the judokas in 90kg, Avtar has the best reach, measuring more than six feet. “He also has heaps of endurance and a strong grip,” said Solanki, a former international.
In the build-up to the Rio qualification, Avtar, who hails from Punjab, showed courage by not getting overawed by the reputation of his opponents.
Talk of a medal crops up. “I believe all participants have a chance. There is an element of surprise till the results are announced. In judo, a lot depends on the fixture. Sometimes, one gets knocked out in the first round,” said Solanki.
Avtar chipped in, “No one wants to lose, everyone goes to the Olympics to win. We also have the same motto.” THE SURPRISE ROWER Dattu Baban Bhokanal’s story is one of rapid rise. He struggled to make ends meet before joining the Army in 2011, but is now the face of the national rowing team.
His 6’4” frame was suited for water sports, particularly rowing, but it is astonishing that he made it to the top in just four years. Last year, the Armyman won silver at the continental level, his first international medal. In April at the Asia/Oceania Olympic qualifying event in South Korea, Bhokanal claimed silver in the men’s singles sculls.
By winning a passage to Brazil, the rower, who hails from Nasik in Maharashtra, has kept alive the tradition of rowers competing at the Olympics since the 2000 Games.
Kasam Khan and Inderpal Singh had participated in men’s coxless pairs in Sydney, and four years later, Paulose Pandari Kunnel competed in men’s single sculls at Athens.
At Beijing, it was Bajrang Takhar in singles sculls, and Manjit Singh and Devender Khandwal participated in lightweight double sculls. Three rowers participated at London in 2012 --- Sawarn Singh in singles sculls, and Manjit Singh and Sandeep Kumar in lightweight double sculls. FOUR-MEMBER TT TEAM For the first time, a four-member table tennis team will be participating in the Olympics. The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has a realistic target. “Things are getting better as both the men’s and women’s teams have qualified. We are not aiming for the sky, the target is to get better,” said DR Choudhary, secretary, TTFI.
Sharath Kamal and Soumyajit Ghosh make up the men’s team while the women will be represented by Mouma Das and Manik Batra. GOLF’S RETURN Making a return to the Olympics after a gap of 112 years, there will be fierce competition in golf as the field of 60 in men and women will see most of the world’s top professionals battle it out for supremacy. In Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chawrasia, India have a fair representation and though the two haven’t been in prime form of late, turning out for the country is known to work wonders.
Though light in experience, teenager Aditi Ashok will be harbouring hopes of a strong display, buoyed after qualifying for the women’s British Open. The men’s competition will play out from August 11-14 while the women will be in action from August 16 onwards. The six-member weightlifting team, including two coaches and as many reserve players, was the first group to reach Brazil on June 25. Sathish K will be in action in men’s 77kg while C Mirabahi will compete in women’s 48kg.
After top swimmers failed to qualify, the international body gave a wildcards to Sajan Prakash and Shivani Kataria.
Prakash will compete in men’s 200m butterfly, while Kataria will take part in women’s 200m freestyle.