HYDERABAD: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on sports industry in Hyderabad and it’s the academies which are the worst hit. All the fitness institutes and sports academies will stay shut till March 31 or till further notice is issued.
Tournaments have been rescheduled and extended indefinitely which has left the players baffled. And now they all are in their home towns and have been locked up in their houses. For the first time in the history of Tennis ITF (International Tennis Federation) and AITA (All India Tennis Association) have been postponed till June.
Players who have come back from their tournaments from different parts of the world are have got their check-ups done and are completely locked up in their houses for 14 days. As a sports person each section counts, but at the same time it is important to stay fit and strong. So to deal this situation players are working out at their homes indulging in body weight training.
Coaches are in touch with their students through phone calls or through social media and some are even going to the houses of students to train them so they don’t miss the classes. Simhachalam Naidu, the chief coach of NFIT academy says that the good bit is that now it is exam time so the players can concentrate on their studies and get an additional time to prepare for their upcoming tournaments.
P Manikanta, a 400-metre national athlete and a trainee at Sai Gopichand Meitra Foundations, Hyderabad, says, "We in are touch with our coaches through social media and doing workouts at our home." R Achyuta Rao, under 23 state player, says: "We are waiting for the situation to get better so that we can be back on field again."
(Inputs by Raghu Prasad)