Date:22/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/22/stories/2008082256072000.htm

Sport - Chess

Sushil didn’t have a masseur

Beijing: Statistic will show just four opponents but reality is Sushil Kumar had to grapple with absence of a masseur as well as he survived bout after bout to win India’s second medal in Beijing Olympics.

In the first repechage round at 4 p.m. local time, he edged out American Doug Schwab and had his next bout lined up against Belarussian Albert Batyrov precisely at 4.20 p.m.

Once Sushil cleared that hurdle too, he was to play losing semifinalist Leonid Spiridinov at 5.10 p.m. and all along he did not have a masseur to do the rubbing and massaging.

“We did not have a dedicated masseur. I asked a masseur ’Do you have time to attend me?’ and he said no,” Sushil revealed.

“So team manager Kartar Singh had to do the job.” We did not have any idea about the doctors either, who had been attached with the contingent,” Sushil said. — PTI