The message from chief coach and Dronacharya Ismail Baig to the Incheon Asian Games-bound rowing squad is pretty clear — the number and colour of medals should be much better this time around!
Baig, who has been grooming national and international rowers at the Hussain Sagar Lake here for the last four years, reminds the 22 men and nine women rowers that the onus is on them to improve upon the Guangzhou Asiad tally, where India picked up a gold (Bajrang Lal Takhar in single scull), three silvers in coxed eights and two in coxless fours (light weight), and a bronze in the women’s pair event.
“I am really pleased with the preparations this time around. The Asian Games camp is something totally different. The simulated races which we held in every session really seemed to have the desired effect on the rowers,” said Baig, who virtually made the lake his ‘second home’.
“The best part this time around is that most of the rowers are more experienced and the confidence is high because of impressive performances in the Asian-level championships,” he pointed out in an exclusive chat with The Hindu , while giving tips to the rowers.
Effectively, India will be competing in nine events and the best medal hopes are in single sculls with Sawarn Singh (open category) and Dushyant Chouhan (single scull light weight).
“Then, the other big hope is the coxed eights team which is led by the experienced Bajrang Lal. His immense knowledge should spur the others in the team to come up with a special performance,” explains Baig.
Even Bajrang himself is confidence personified.
“We should get a gold given the way we have prepared. There is plenty of talent and determination to do well too,” he added.
Interestingly, the venue for the rowing competition, 200 km away from the main Incheon Asiad centre, has been a happy hunting ground for the Indian rowers during their four visits earlier. It was here that Bajrang won his first Asian championship gold in 2007 and the likes of the late Dharmesh Sangwan and Sawarn Singh made a huge impact at the Asian level.
“Somehow, I feel very comfortable the moment I enter the waters in Incheon,” says Bajrang, and feels the ambience should lift the confidence of his teammates.
For his part, Baig, who will be the coach for the Asian Games for a third time, reiterates that China, Korea and Hong Kong should be the big guns even while India, because of its numerous medals at the Asian and international level in the last five years, is now a force to reckon with.
“The presence of Manjith, Bajrang, Ranjit and Tomar, who were part of the last Asian Games squad, should be of immense help to the debutants. Overall, we are confident, if not over-confident, to come back with a richer haul of medals this time around,” he signed off.
