Italy link snapped, Mairaj keen to make most of home conditions
CHENNAI: While many athletes are sweating over their Olympic preparations, Mairaj Ahmad Khan is as calm as they come. The first Indian skeet shooter to have made it to the Olympics, in 2016, he is one of the many hit by the outbreak of coronavirus. However, years of experience in his craft has taught Mairaj to remain level-headed in periods of uncertainty.
One who has chosen Italy as his preferred training destination for many years, Mairaj finds himself at home now. His plans to go to the European nation, which is one of the worst-hit by the deadly virus, in the future looks bleak. To add to his woes, he’s currently without his Italian coach Ennio Falco, a 1996 Atlanta Games gold winner, who has gone home.
“We’re taking it one day at a time. I have a lot of meetings — barrel testing, ammunition testing — in Italy. I use Italian ammunition and gun. So all these are lined up and I have to cancel all bookings. I can’t go to the gym either. I’m doing all the exercises at home. It feels like somebody has paused the world. It’s unfortunate but we have to remain positive.”
He’s making the most of technology, getting inputs from Falco through Skype or phone calls. He has also been seeking suggestions from his sports psychologist from Finland. “I have been in constant touch with them. Falco gives me reminders that I have the experience and wants me to be a professional wherever I train irrespective of the conditions.”Bearing Falco’s inputs in mind, Mairaj was trying to test himself at the national trials that was held on Tuesday in New Delhi. Despite virus concerns, it was a welcome exposure for Mairaj for he hadn’t shot in a competitive environment since the nationals in November. He also had the opportunity to test the new machine at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.
After a short break post trials, he wants to keep his training flexible and shoot in different conditions. “I’ll be going to Chandigarh for a few days to train with Angad (Vir Singh Bajwa). We can push each other. It’s a healthy competition and will be good for both of us. Maybe, we’ll train in Patiala for some time. Just to change the background, the weather.” In his first shot at Olympics four years ago, Mairaj had put up a commendable show and narrowly missed out on the finals. He has learnt a great deal from that and wants to use it to his advantage this time.
“I don’t want to burn myself. When the Olympic comes, everybody is too keen to do everything. While preparing for Rio, I feel I overdid on all those aspects. This time I have a good team, everyone is calm and realistic about how to go about things,” the 44-year-old notes.The man from Khurja, UP, feels he struggled last year for trying too hard. Having failed to get a quota during the World Cups, Mairaj made his last chance count at the Asian Championships in Doha, to book a Tokyo ticket. “When under pressure, I tend to do well. In the Olympics last time, I was under immense pressure, but I did well,” he says. His ability to stay calm in times of difficulty could help him break barriers in Tokyo.