Croatia is safer to train for Moudgil
New Delhi, May 8: Olympic-bound rifle shooter Anjum Moudgil does not mind being away from home till the end of the Tokyo Games as she feels training in Croatia will be safer than in a coronavirus-ravaged India.
The Olympic-bound 15member Indian team will depart for Zagreb on May 11 for a training-cum-competition tour in that country and from there it will directly fly to Tokyo for the Olympics, which opens on July 23.
“It is not all right for us to train here in India. I don’t have a private training range for 50m rifle three positions. I have to either travel to Delhi or Pune which is not safe under this pandemic conditions,” she said at a virtual press conference arranged by the Sports Authority of India.
“I think Croatia must be better than India currently (in terms of Covid-19 situation) and being with the team also gives you confidence. I don’t see any problem from being away from home for three months.”
She said the Indian team will undergo a seven-day quarantine after reaching Croatia. They will fly to Tokyo on July 17.
“SAI has arranged a chartered flight for us and making a sort of bio-bubble also there in Croatia,” said the 25-year-old from Chandigarh.
Moudgil was picked in the Indian team for the 50m rifle three positions and 10m air rifle mixed team but missed out on 10m air rifle in which she won a silver in the 2018 World Championships.
She said she has taken it in her stride. Moudgil won a gold in 50m rifle 3 positions in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“I respect the decision of NRAI. I still have two events in the Olympics. I am ready for the 50m 3 positions.”