Asian Games postponement: Indian athletes have mixed emotions

NEW DELHI: From disappointment to relief, Indian athletes showed a range of emotions after finding about the indefinite postponement of the 2022 Asian Games owing to a spike in COVID-19 cases in China.

In a year of Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, the athletes need to be more meticulous with their planning as they look to "peak" at the right time. For some, the delayed Asian Games means more time to rest and prepare, for others the postponement has "messed up" their planning.

Veteran archer Tarundeep Rai, who was looking to retire after the Asian Games, is now left clueless.

"It's a big, big blow to me. I am already 38 and I was planning to retire after the Asian Games this year. I'm clueless now, this is a really massive setback to my preparations," the three-time Olympian told PTI.

"I feel I was reaching the peak in my career again after the disappointment of the Olympics last year. I recently won the World Cup mixed gold for the first time (with Ridhi Phor) at Antalya. Everything was planned and on track for me and now I've to take a fresh call."

While the postponements comes as a shock for Tarundeep, it has also given hope to star women archer Deepaka Kumari who had failed to make the Asian Games squad.

"No doubt it's good news for us (husband Atanu Das who also could not clear the trials) and we've got a new lifeline to come back strongly this time. Missing out from trials was a big setback in both of our careers. But now we can start it all over again and look to bounce back strongly.

"But at the same time, I feel sad for so many of our fellow athletes who have been training so hard to do well. It's so unfortunate that they won't be able to wait till the next announcement," she said.

Since squash is not an Olympic sport, players wait for CWG and Asian Games every four years to perform at the big stage.

Dipika Pallikal, who recently won the World Doubles Championship alongside Joshna Chinappa six months after giving birth to twins, said her planning for for CWG and Asian Games started four years ago but now she is forced to review her long term plans.

"It is quite sad to be honest. It takes a lot to try and be mentally and physically ready for the Games. And when you have been planning for the last four years it makes it even harder.

"But it is what it is. We have the CWG to focus on which is our next goal. We have another year to go for Asian Games which means we will all train harder, get better at what we need to," she said.