The Olympics is the pinnacle of sporting excellence. It has an aura that cannot be compared with any other event in the world. As an athlete, it’s both invigorating and immensely demanding —physically as well as mentally. Competing at such a level saps your energy completely, but it’s only when you are part of an extravaganza like this that you realise what it all means. The experience is simply profound.
That the number of athletes going to Rio Olympics has swelled beyond 100 is a record in itself. Sports in India now has tremendous potential. In the last couple of Games, the nation competed with zest and equanimity. There has been a gradual progress in most disciplines, but yes, in the hindsight, we should have crossed that number years ago, considering our population.
Nevertheless, the number is a testament to our ability and growth. Sceptics may say it’s just a number, but only a sportsperson knows what it takes to qualify. There are certain standards for athletes who aspire to do so. One must understand that it is not an invitational tournament. Nor is it an open tournament where you pay the entry fee and participate. You have to qualify. Some do it early while some struggle until the end. One may argue that numbers don’t guarantee medals, but then why think that way? Numbers don’t convert into medals, but they surely raise hope.
In the 2012 London Olympics, India sent 83 athletes and ended up with six medals. This time, with 100-plus athletes, one can surely expect more laurels. Even in the formidable US team, not all athletes make it to the podium. Akin to the London Games, this time too we will have plenty of fresh faces.
There’s been a sea change in the way athletes are being promoted and there’s a sense of marketability, which wasn’t present earlier. It helps to know that sponsors believe that athletes can and should inspire the young generation. Gone are the days when faces of only cricket stars peered down from billboards and hoardings; now, there’s a smattering of other sports as well.
The turnaround came at the time of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. A lot of money was invested and it started to show results. Be it shooting, boxing, badminton or any other sport, India had started to excel. It’s because the government started backing the athletes. After CWG, however, there was a slump until the early part of 2012. One must understand that amateur players can’t go far without government support. It wasn’t too difficult for me because like other Army shooters, I too had full support of the Army. So, the result in 2012 was because of 2010.
Still, there have been occasions when athletes have felt the government was not doing enough. The introduction of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) is the most novel initiative the sports ministry has undertaken. It gives more flexibility to the players because it has less paperwork. Though some are saying it is a trifle late, in the end we have to consider that something new has been introduced and it will take some time to thrive.
Skill alone cannot suffice at the Olympics. Out there, one has to be mentally strong. With the current crop, there is a lot of self-belief. Especially in a sport like shooting, after winning medals consistently, the shooters are all geared up. The mindset has changed over the years. I believe this has happened in a lot of sports — wrestling, boxing, badminton, even hockey.
Vijay Kumar is a Sport shooter and Olympic silver medallist