Four years of practice, several tournaments, strict fitness regime – all for a 15-day event, but all of a sudden, the entire dream shatters (at least for the time being). Even though in the fast-paced world, nothing comes to a standstill with athletes having their ways of keeping themselves in shape. Does it really help? As far as the Indian contingent is concerned, it’s three brightest medal prospects – Archery, Boxing and Shooting have taken the maximum hit.

“There’ll be a shortfall in India for at least six months before fresh stocks arrive. That is if these European countries start manufacturing ammunition by June-end,” said national shotgun coach Mansher Singh while speaking to the Hindustan Times. Such is the level of professionalism nowadays that shooters handpick specific batches of ammunition. The athletes usually pay a visit to the factories in person(especially in Italy), test their barrels and place the orders. If everything falls in place, they take the long flight back to India and import the shortlisted batch.

A total of 15 shooters have already booked a ticket to the mega event from India (a record); with most of them claiming the rights in the Asian Championships in Doha last year. Anyway, this was supposed to be the landmark year for Shooting, with prospects like Rahi Sarnobat, Manu Bhaker, Anjum Moudgil, and Abhishek Verma all raring to go the distance in Tokyo, but the abrupt halt is a huge setback for the entire contingent.

Boxing 

For god’s sake, we are talking about Boxing. The sport which is more physical than any other in the world, how can we expect them to make Olympic preparations whilst locked down in domestic space? Never in their nightmares have they imagined making dress rehearsals for the Olympics devoid of a bout, outside a ring and most importantly no one on the other side to strike a punch.

“We hope things improve and the lockdown ends but we can’t start from scratch when that happens. We have to have something going so that when it ends, there is a seamless transition,” said Santiago Nieva. That’s right. You heard the coach saying that things have come to a halt and resumption is only possible when Corona takes a leave. And what’s most unfortunate, it comes in the immediate aftermath of the Asian qualifiers in Jordan, whereas many as nine Indians sealed berths for the Tokyo Olympics. Just when full-swing preparations were the need of the hour, video-conference is all our athletes are entitled at the present moment. God damn Corona, just leave earth!

When India’s most underachieved sport was finally promising dear returns, the ray of hope burned out for the time. And I say this with a heavy heart when I came across that veteran archer Tarundeep Rai is taking to Youtube videos to build shoulder muscles. Owing to the fact that it would be a ‘risk’ to take the aid of trainers in the present situation, Rai has taken resort to dry shooting practice in anticipation to keep his body tuned when he actually grips the bow and releases the arrow (someday when the world is out of danger).

“I could not return to my home due to the sudden lockdown. I’ve not seen my family since August last year. But I have no regrets. I talk to my family and my eight-year-old son Nusam Singh Rai everyday. It’s about staying safe wherever you’re,” concluded a considerate Tarundeep Rai while speaking to the Indian Express. He also slipped in the fact that he is going to be ripe by one more year cometh the Tokyo Games, which itself is a big challenge in the context of the Olympics. 

I may be talking from an emotional side of an Indian sports fanatics’ heart, but this is valuable time wasted and we cannot do jack to bring it back. At the most we can hope for a change in the current situation - the Covid-19 has surely shaken the blue planet and hopefully, it’s disappearance makes more sense than its occurrence. Hopefully, it will give back the world a better future and compensate in the same magnitude for the way it has ripped apart the entire human race.