Jaisa ki hum sabko pata hai ki is samay Corona Virus ki wajah se bahot saari countries mei lockdown chal raha hai aur iski wajah se logo ko ghar mei hi rahne ki advice di gai hai.
Aur is ki wajah se hi India ke fastest swimmer Virdhawal Khade jinhone last two weeks se pool mei jaa kar practice nahi ki hai aur aane wale two weeks ke liye bhi inka yahi plan hone wala hai.
Kisi bhi Indian swimmer ne abhi tak Olympic ‘A’ qualification mark achieve nahi kiya hai, aur Khade hope kar rahe hai Tokyo mei apne splash ke liye another three months mei isse pahle ki ye pandemic puri duniya uske knees par le aaye.
“ Mai West Virginia, USA jaane ka plan kar raha tha. Waha jakar Sergio Lopez ke under training karne ka plan tha. Humara plan January- Feburary mei USA move karne ka tha aur phir Olympics tak waha rukne ka bhi. Unfortunately, wo plan delay ho gaya. Ye hamare liye sahi hi hua kyu ki is samay USA mei situation bahot hi kharab hai,” khade ne TOI se kaha.
Ye puche jaane par ki kya 2021 games unhe affect karega, toh 2010 Asian Games ke bronze medallist , jo next year 30 years ke ho jayenge, unhone kaha: “Mujhe nahi lagta ki ye chiz mujhe badly affect karegi. Mai postponement ko extra time ke jaise dekh raha hun jisme mujhe practice karne ka aur time mil jayega.Agar ye isi year mei ho jaata toh ere liye aur bhi badhiya hota but mai is chiz ka positive dekh raha hun. Is year ke end tak mai qualify ho jaung aisa hope karta hun. Aur agar chize acche se hui, Mai hope karta hu ki Olympics ke semis or final mei Olympics next year mei pahoch jaunga.”
With six Indians, including Khade, already ‘B’ qualification mark meet kar rahe hai, ace swimmer ne kaha ki new window top Indian swimmers ke liye boon ho sakti hai.
“Ye extra time India swimmers ko jyada slots jeetne ke liye help karega.Abhi tak kisi ne qualify nahi kiya hai but mujhe lagta hai ki is one and a half years mei ek se jyada Indian swimmer qualify karenge ‘A’ ark ke saath,” khade ne kaha.
“Srihari Nataraj, Sajan Prakash, Advait Page and Kushagra Rawat ye sabhi capable ‘A’ mark ko meet karne ke liye. Unhone kaha.