Winning is always a feel thing. The synchronism between muscle and mood alone translates into medal and manna
Indian contingent is going into the Olympics with a changed attitude and belief that it can compete with the best. In our special, we profile the top Indian athletes, who hold the potential to surprise all BEIJING: Winning is always a feel thing. The synchronism between muscle and mood alone translates into medal and manna. The major difference in the Indian Olympic challenge this time around is this feeling bit. Its changed from that of just participating to the belief that medals are in the offing. “If they don’t win a medal this time, the athletes will be really disappointed. It is the first time I have seen this feeling in the contingent for usually we just go to enjoy the trip. Even Saina (Nehwal) who is not one of the favourites going in would be disappointed not to get a medal. This is something that’s great as now the time has come where we actually believe we can win,” says Pullela Gopichand, who’s here as the national badminton coach.
It may be the new India asserting its own, it may be the changing mindset of the nation as a whole. But whatever it may be, it’s all good as far as the spirit going into this Olympics is concerned. “We have had a Korean coach with seven Olympic golds amongst his earlier wards from the beginning of the year. I can definitely say that we have a formidable archery challenge,” says archer Mangal Singh Champia. The coach Lee Wan Woo however is more circumspect.
“These Games? No. I am working for London 2012,” says Woo. Pressed on as to whether even a third-place finish was out of the question, Woo clarifies: “Who cares? I only aim for gold.” While Woo’s candour and target are refreshing, the fact is that if Indian archery gets tinged a shade of bronze, the Archery Association of India and a sizeable part of tribal India will be doing cartwheels.
Shooter Abhinav Bindra says that he is “itching to compete”, and he also adds what is the obvious emotion for men and women who have been sweating for four long years, “am looking forward to getting it over with”.
Meanwhile, the Indian boxing contingent is facing peculiar problems. Despite all the assurances given by the organisers it appears that there is still a dearth of volunteers who can understand English in the Games village. Trainer Heath Matthews is at his wits end looking for an ice-box to cool the drinks of his wards as well as a 44-gallon tank which he uses to give ice therapy after practise. “It is imperative that the boxers have an ice bath for their recovery and without that they will be really hampered,” says Matthews. Despite the glitches, boxers who have been vehement about their chances continue to believe in their quest for metal.
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