CHENNAI: AT 37, she would need more determination and motivation to hurl the discus further every day or continue with her daily ritual of training. Pain and niggles have become part of her life, something she felt would stay with her forever. “I have to manage it,” she said. After a career spanning more than two decades, Seema Antil considers it fortuitous to continue in a demanding sport like discus.
The journey did take a toll on her body.
Tokyo Olympics had been one forgetful experience and something she would not like to reminisce about. “It took some time to shake off the setback and get back to training in September (at JN Stadium),” she said. Not a regular in the domestic circuit since the Asian Games in 2018, Seema will compete in India until April at least. Her first competition would be at the National Throws competition in Patiala on Sunday.
A day before leaving for Patiala, Seema seemed confident about the season and said she is looking forward to her third Asian Games and fifth Commonwealth Games. “I have to perform well and win medals at both the Games,” she said. “If everything goes off well, I would target gold.” She has won three silver and one bronze at CWG, while gold at the 2014 Asian Games and bronze in 2018.
Seema, who had been training in Russia after the 2018 Asian Games, doesn’t have a coach. She is training with physio Darshan Shetty by her side. “He helps with my training,” she said. “I get my training schedule from my Russian coach. Even the US coach with whom I had trained for quite sometime earlier sends programmes. Then we see what can be added or ignored and proceed accordingly. My physio takes videos of my training. We send them and they send their inputs. I am in touch with them.”
As for her training, she said, it is going on as per plan. “The season is yet to start. As of now I should be throwing around 58-60m and as the season progresses it will get better.” This being a long season with World Championships before CWG and Asian Games, Seema is taking one competition at a time. Seema qualified for Olympics on the last day of qualification cycle – June 29 with a throw of 63.70m. And that will stand for the World Championships.
“I can start with 58-60m and around the Grand Prix time I should be crossing 60m and around end of March my throw should be around 62-64m.” As far as exposure trips are concerned, it would be after the Federation Cup. Her first priority would be Russia, but if things don’t materialize because of the strife, she would like to go to the US where she had trained earlier with Tony Ciarelli because the Worlds is scheduled in Oregon. In fact, without sponsors, there are times when she has to spend her own money. “I don’t mind because discus is my passion,” she said, adding that as she is part of Target Olympics Podium Scheme, it would help her fund a few more things.
Her training has been taken care of by the Athletics Federation of India and one person she is thankful to is the Chairman of Planning Committee, Lalit Bhanot. As of now, she is not looking too far ahead. Paris Olympics is a possibility but as of now, she is focused on 2022 and the challenges it would bring in.