This pandemic has been challenging for all sports but for the athletes of Indian athletes, even more than real roller-coasters, from their events have been practicing so difficult to postpone, to be trapped at home with almost all equipment.
Add Covid fear.
Ekta Bhyan, who is one of the 24 Indian athletes chosen for Tokyo Paralympics, knows he must be careful because of the spinal cord injury suffered in 2003.
“My respiratory system has been disturbed, so I have to be very careful,” The athlete said six international medals for the club threw under his belt.
For some people, get a Covid and a slow recovery period not only hypothetical fear, but reality.
Dharambir, who was chosen for the Club Throw event, got Covid just two months before the trial for the Olympics.
“After Covid, my body was really weak.
I can’t get up and sit down.
People told me that I needed to rest, but after 10 days post-covid, I started practicing again because I knew if the trial didn’t go well, I will not be chosen, “Dharambir said, left with a serious spine injured after meeting an accident in the early 20s.
If Dharambir struggled against Covid, Devendra Jhjhariah, one of the most prominent athletes Indian athletes and the first India to win two gold medals at the Paralympics, struggling to practice without javelin which was almost like his body, like both arms.
“It was the longest time I had traveled my life without touching the javelin because I was clearly unable to throw home,” said the 40-year-old player.
“The second is that my coach tells me that whatever happens, I cannot gain weight.
Because at my age, gaining weight will truly affect my performance.” With only the equipment that is not perfect like therarang and balls.
Sports at home, Jhjhariah became creative – the side of his car gave resistance when he exercised, while for weight training, he depends on the LPG cylinder.
After locking is lifted and he can continue the exercise, things that look up – that is, until October.
His father was suddenly diagnosed with lung cancer with only a few days to live.
“When I came home, he told me that he might not live but asked me not to disturb my training and return to Gandhinagar where my coach was.
I did and he died in a few weeks,” he said.
Again, he returned home for 12 days for the required ritual but his mother insisted he left immediately, working towards his father’s dream and won another gold medal.
A few months later, he gave a “extraordinary performance” at the trial, and planned to bring home medals, for the country and family.
The family support system has been an important tool for SIMRAN Sharma aged 22 years, which leads to its first paralympics after being chosen for 100m races.
While he focused on a very clear goal – eating, sleep, and train – during the kuncian, his partner took slack for homework.
“My husband did everything – all cooking and cleaning.
He wants me to concentrate on my destination.” Even when he became Covid and struggling with fatigue, he forced him to eat and be better.
“For a while, I really struggled – cried and fell from exhausted and so I fainted during training.
But with training, I went to Dubai in February 2021 and won a gold medal there,” he said, showing that he had dealt with injury Serious legs.
MRI after the trial revealed that he only ran with one foot power to get a ticket to Paralympics.
The Javelin Sandeep Chaudhary has spent years isolate in training camps in Delhi and Sonipat who have a very strict Covid protocol.
“That way, I can do exercise six hours every day,” he said.
Rules include weekly covid tests and appoint ‘zones’ to create a safe bubble for athletes.
And it’s all worth it – he broke his own record in trials, with a distance of 66.44m.
But he admitted that this time was very difficult.
“As athletes, we have learned to live with difficulties in normal times too.
The hard situation makes you strong, in my opinion.” Ekta Bhyan, meanwhile, said that when he valued people inspired by athletes, he hoped there would be a lot Focus on their achievements.
“Their hard work should not be ruled out compared to the difficulties they have overcome.”