NEW DELHI: Keeping mixed doubles training in mind, A Sharath Kamal will fly out to Pune to train with Manika Batra after the conclusion of the national camp in Sonepat.
The camp is set to end on July 5 and Sharath and Manika have been discussing the possibility of training at the India Khelega centre in Pune for quite some time now but due to certain reasons, those plans have not come to fruition.
The plan as of now is to try and train for a week or ten days.
The duo had trained for a week in Chennai back in April and even that was just basic training and not ideal preparation for the Olympic Games.
Many have billed the event as India’s best shot at winning a historic medal and for that reason, the duo has targeted the national camp and Pune as the ideal opportunity.
“We will utilise the time at the camp and then I will be flying to Pune. Travel is not ideal but we have to train somewhere and this is the best plan we have at the moment,” Sharath confirmed to this daily.
The national camp, which starts on June 20, will see Manika in attendance but the duration of her stay is not certain as yet.
She is coming mainly for the mixed doubles training with Sharath. She will be joined by her personal coach Sanmay Paranjape.
The camp also has seen certain alterations in terms of personnel. A couple of players have changed with Ronit Bhanja added to the list among men after Anthony Amalraj decided against joining up for the camp.
Among women, Archana Kamath has been replaced by Kaushani Nath. India’s other Olympian G Sathiyan has informed TTFI that he plans to train at Chennai under the guidance of his coach S Raman.
Apart from Sharath, the other Olympians have so far got one shot of the vaccine. In case, the paddlers are unable to get one prior to their arrival in Sonepat, TTFI has discussed the possibility of inoculating them while they are in the camp.