Sport is non-stop. Preparations, too, cannot be halted for a long time. India’s heroes will soon return from the Paris Paralympics with a rich haul, and there will be celebrations at home. However, what is most important is that planning for the next Olympic cycle begins at the earliest. In less than a day, the men’s hockey team will be competing at the Asian Champions Trophy in Hulunbuir, China. Both coach Craig Fulton and captain Harmanpreet Singh realise that resting on the laurels of a bronze medal from Paris 2024 will be futile. The team has to look ahead, minus goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.
There is a big difference between the last Olympic cycle and this one. From now till Los Angeles in 2028 may seem a long way. Before that, the Indian athletes and teams have to prepare for the important 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, which will also serve as an Olympic qualifier in some sporting disciplines, hockey included. Add to it the possibility of Manchester hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2026, and few Indian athletes can bask for too long in recent glory.
From Tokyo to Paris, there was a three-year gap, as the whole cycle changed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This time, the gap of two years to the Asiad and Commonwealth Games is ideal to start planning right away. There will also be a proper gap between the Asian Games and the Los Angeles Olympics, so all the stakeholders have to get on board at the earliest. Two days back, Gagan Narang, in a chat with RevSportz, was brutally honest when he said preparations in sport are a cycle and taking a break is a luxury none can afford. “I used to compete in three events, and had no time to complain or crib,” said Narang. As one who competed in four Olympics from 2004 Athens to 2016 Rio, he slogged hard. “I can tell you for sure, those shooters who did not win a medal in Paris 2024 are back at training,” he said. “The rest period cannot be long and one has to keep pushing.”
If this sounds cruel, even Manu Bhaker realises after winning two medals in Paris that she has to get back to training in another two months. She has talked of winning gold in 2028, so there is no point thinking the medal will land on her lap. “I am clear and Manu is clear, work has to start after the three-month break,” said Jaspal Rana, her coach, on Saturday. “One month is already over.”
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The worry is about certain disciplines like boxing, weightlifting, and even badminton. It would be wrong to imagine that PV Sindhu or Mirabai Chanu will push for another Olympic cycle. Those who plan for Indian sports need to sit down together and come out with a blueprint. A country like China won 40 gold, 27 silver and 24 bronze at the Paris Olympics. When they returned home, President Xi Jinping met the athletes. After one of their best hauls ever at the Olympics, Chinese athletes have begun preparation for LA 2028. Before that, they will go full throttle in the Asian Games as well. And the best part about China is they don’t bank on the same athletes who have excelled at the previous Asian Games or Olympics, barring a few.
Look at cricket in India, where there are so many tournaments, including the T20 leagues in various states. New faces are emerging. This has to apply to Indians who want glory at the next Asian Games and the Olympics. It is important the national sports federations, instead of cribbing, gets back to the drawing board and plans with the other stakeholders, Sports Authority of India (SAI) and sports NGOs included. If one looks at the poor results from boxing and wrestling at Paris 2024, there is serious work to be done.
One medal from Aman Sehrawat does not reflect the talent pool which needs to be tapped into. Then again, in boxing, there was massive confusion even four months before the Paris Olympics. It was a clear sign the Boxing Federation of India had not done enough and sacking the High Performance Director and coaches was mere optics. Yes, one Nishant Dev may have been done in by poor refereeing in Paris, but what about the others?
Indian athletes cannot offer excuses, they are pampered and get the best support from the government and NGOs. Maybe, the sports planners in India need to learn from the think-tank which works with Neeraj Chopra, and ensure that athletes peak at the right time.
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