Asiad in mind, rowers change training venues 

Express News Service

CHENNAI:  The Asian Games in Hangzhou later this year will be a big opportunity for Indian rowers to prove their mettle and better their show of the 2018 edition where they won three medals including gold. In its bid to keep the rowers ready for every challenge the quadrennial event is likely to throw at them, the Rowing Federation of India (RFI) has shifted the coaching camps of men and women rowers to Bhopal and Hyderabad respectively. The men’s camp started at the Upper Lake on February 10 while the women’s camp began at Hussain Sagar six days earlier. 

“The Army Rowing Node in Pune, where the men’s camp was going on for the past two years, offers ideal conditions for preparations but we wanted our rowers to train in open water. We wanted a bigger course as the Pune facility has only a 2km course,” Rajlaxmi Singh Deo, president of RFI, told this daily.

 Similarly, the water level at the facility in Odisha’s Jagatpur where the women rowers were camping, goes down considerably in summer due to heat and humidity which made the federation shift the venue. “Apart from water level, accommodation was also an issue in Jagatpur. The campers have to stay away from the venue because of which a lot of time was lost in travelling to and fro. Here at the Hussain Sagar, the youth hostel is situated within walking distance making it easy for the campers,” added Deo. 

Presently, a total of 26 men rowers are in Bhopal while 17 female rowers and one male rower are in Hyderabad. “Bhopal’s lake offers challenging conditions for our rowers. Here we can do long-distance training which will come in handy during Asiad. It will help our rowers increase their endurance as well. We are here at least for two months and will decide the future course of action keeping the conditions in mind,” said Ismail Baig, national coach of the men’s team. Though RFI intends to continue the camps in Bhopal and Hyderabad, the venue may change given the conditions at both venues in the future. 

Full story: newindianexpress.com