Abhishek Verma hopes for virtual guidance as pistol coaches give Croatia trip a miss | More sports News – Times of India

CHANDIGARH: With the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic raging across the globe, resulting in uncertainty over the conduct of the Tokyo Olympics in July, World No. 1 pistol shooter Abhishek Verma isn’t much bothered with the distraction.
The 30 year-old from Panipat, is focused on the task which comes with the pinnacle of sport.
“I am not even thinking about whether the Olympics will be held or not. I am training with the belief that it will go ahead. Whatever is the next competition, I am focusing on that,” he said at a virtual media interaction facilitated by Sports Authority of India.

“I am very happy that there the NRAI has decided to have a camp in Croatia, as the situation in India is very tough to conduct training camps.”
“After the last World Cup in March, I could not continue regular training due to the Covid restrictions, and now after getting vaccinated, I lost 3-4 days to exhaustion. In Croatia, the focus will be solely on training and work on a few things around,” said the 2019 Beijing World Cup gold medallist.
Responding to a question on how Tokyo 2020 would be different and how it brings about changes to the routine of athletes, Verma said his is always on training and on competitions when he enters one.
“I focus on how I can give my best on every shot in every competition. Whatever external situation arises, I will adapt to that,” he said.
“Even in the World Cup (in New Delhi) last month, we had to make certain adjustments, like wearing masks. There were shields separating shooting lanes. It was awkward constantly having to remember to put on the mask. Whatever be the situation, we have to face it and adapt. The most important thing is performance,” he said.
As part of the Olympics-bound Indian team which will be based in Croatia before proceeding to Tokyo, Verma said this trip would help him retain his focus despite being away from family.
Role of coaches
India’s top pistol shooters and the most likely Olympic medal contenders will be without their coaches from now till the start of the Games in Tokyo. They include Abhishek, Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary as the trio will board the chartered flight to Zagreb sans their mentors Jaspal Rana, Ronak Pandit and Samaresh Jung, skipping the tour due to personal reasons.
Bhaker, Chaudhary and Verma train directly under the three coaches. Acknowledging the role of a coach in providing those finishing touches before the showpiece event, Abhishek said he will carry his Go Pro camera to live telecast his training for his mentors in India.
“The coaches play a very important role, more so in the next three months. For any last minute adjustments before the Olympics, the presence of a coach is very crucial.”
“He knows our game, our strengths and weaknesses, and in the run-up to a major tournament like the Olympics, only a coach can fix the minute details,” he said.
But the trio can surely bank on the services of the two pistol coaches Pavel Smirnov and Ved Prakash, who will be traveling to Zagreb. In addition, seven rifle coaches, four physiotherapists and two physical trainers too will make the trip.
WC boost in Croatia
In addition to the European Championships, Osijek will also host a World Cup from June 22-July 3, the ISSF announced on Friday. The tournament, which will include individual, team and mixed team events in rifle, pistol and shotgun, will throw open another competitive opportunity for Indian shooters camping in Zagreb.
“It was a setback for us after the cancellation of the World Cup in Azerbaijan. But with the European Championships, and a World Cup in Croatia, scheduled so close to the Olympics, it will definitely help us analyse our performances,” Abhishek said.
The Osijek WC will be held in place of the one earlier scheduled in Baku, Azerbaijan (from June 21 to July 2) but got cancelled due to a surge in Covid-19 cases in that country.
The Indian team will fly out by a special chartered plane on May 11, before serving a seven-day quarantine on arrival and then participate in the May 20-June 6 European Championships in the Minimum Qualification Score (MQS) category (won’t be eligible for medals). After training for a few more days in Zagreb, they will head back to Osijek for the World Cup.
Late bloomer to India’s medal hope
An advocate in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Abhishek started shooting competitively only at the age of 27 and made a meteoric rise. Once described as a hobby shooter, Verma feels age is no bar in becoming a successful shooter.
“People look at me and say that they are 23 or 24 and ask if they can start shooting. I tell them I started at 27. Once I realised I liked shooting, I worked hard on it and not just like a hobby, that is why I am in the Indian team. Age does not matter but if you were willing to work hard, you can achieve anything,” he said.
Verma has an impressive record where he rose to fame by winning a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games and following that up with a gold medal at the 2019 Beijing World Cup with which he won a quota place at the Tokyo Olympics. He also won the gold medal the same year at the Rio de Janeiro World Cup. He was inducted in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme in December 2018 and has so far received Rs. 16.73 lakh through out of pocket allowance and customised support.