Date:26/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/26/stories/2008072659702200.htm

Sport - Olympic Games

Indian contingent brimming with confidence

Special Correspondent

— Photo: S. Subramanium

LOOKING FORWARD: Judoka Tombi Devi, shooters Anjali Bhagwat and Manavjit Singh Sandhu and boxer Vijender Singh during the send off function in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: World champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu was brimming with confidence, bordering on arrogance, as he assured that the Indian sportsmen and women would fight till the end for Olympic glory in the Beijing Games.

“We are the best you have. Be proud of us and support us when we are doing well. And also when we are not doing well”, said the trap shooter, as he addressed the gathering on behalf of the athletes, in a send off function organised by Samsung, here on Friday.

The Chinese Ambassador, Zhang Yan, wished luck for the Indian contingent and hoped that India would win more medals in Beijing.

A few shooters, boxers and archers were present at the function in which Samsung announced that the Olympic gold medal winner would get Rs.20 lakh while the silver and bronze medals would fetch Rs.15 lakh and Rs.10 lakh respectively.

Rifle coach Laszlo Szucsak said that he was happy with the ‘best possible’ preparation of the shooting team, and had a special word of praise for the level of motivation and spirit shown by the shooters.

“We expect everyone to shoot their best scores or even better. I hope we have chances to fight for medals and a few entrants in the finals. I am not worried that the scores of our shooters have not been great, in the recent World Cups. Even the Chinese have had only reasonable results,” said Szucsak.

Onus on Gagan

Talking about Gagan Narang — the shooter in form who won the bronze in the World Cup in Beijing — Szucsak said that he would not be surprised if the Hyderabad shooter made the finals in more than one event.

Chief coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu said that he was proud of the positive attitude of the boxers, and said that he had only been goading them to keep giving their best, and that results would take care of themselves. The President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Suresh Kalmadi, announced that the athletes training and competing abroad, like the tennis players, would reach Beijing directly. “The first batch from here is scheduled to leave on July 28. Hopefully, we will win a few medals,” said Kalmadi.

It was announced that the 57 athletes, including 26 women, will be accompanied by 42 officials, mainly coaches, doctors, physical trainers, as per the norms laid out by the IOC.

Though it was generally understood that the Atlanta Games bronze medallist Leander Paes, ready to fight for another medal in his fifth Olympics would carry the national flag at the opening ceremony, the IOA President stated that the decision would be made soon after a meeting.