New Delhi, India, May 31, 2020: India’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games hopefuls have returned to training with their “six pack turned into a family pack” after more than 60 days of being confined to their rooms due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
India’s elite athletes have returned to the fields, albeit with restrictions, in a staggered manner over the last fortnight. The first to hit the ground running were the golfers, followed by track and field athletes and weightlifters since they were already inside the National Institute of Sport campus in Patiala.
These athletes have a head start over their colleagues from other sports, who will restart training later in June.
Ace javelin thrower Shivpal Singh made light of the enforced lockdown on his return to training. “The biggest change I can observe is around my waist. I had six-pack abs that have turned into a family pack,” jokes Shivpal, who has already qualified for the Tokyo Games.
Shivpal qualified with a throw of 85.47 metres at a meet in South Africa days before a nationwide lockdown in India went into force in March.
“It will take at least two months to get back into rhythm,” he predicted.
Shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who, during training before lockdown, managed a throw of 21.45m - way more than his national record of 20.92m - also believes it will take time to get back into the groove.
“For me, training stopped at a very inopportune time. The whole process of making throws requires the body in proper rhythm and I felt the same in March. Now with this break I would need at least two months to achieve the same kind of rhythm,” Toor said.
Former weightlifting world champion Mirabai Chanu is focusing on regaining lost muscle mass and strengthening her shoulder, back and thighs. “For the first two weeks we will just work on this area. It is unlikely any international competition will be held this year, till December at least. So we are pacing ourselves accordingly,” she said.
Golfer Jeev Milka Singh was one of the first professional golfers to tee off at the Chandigarh Golf Course when it reopened on May 20. He had been preparing for the sport’s return and used the lockdown to strengthen the core of his body.
“It is all different once we play golf on the course. In reality we turn our body a lot and it also means pressure on the hips. After the first day of playing golf my muscles were sore and I understood that they have to be fine-tuned for the rigours of playing all 18 holes,” Singh said.
Source: Indian Express
