Tokyo, July 19: Indian athletes hit the ground running as they started their pre-Olympic training a day after landing here, hoping to live up to massive expectations in the pandemic-hit Games.
The first batch of Indian athletes arrived on Sunday (July 18) morning and checked in to the Games village after fulfilling the COVID-19 related protocol requirements.
The likes of archers Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das, table tennis players G Sathiyan and A Sharath Kamal, ace shuttlers PV Sindhu and B Sai Praneeth and lone Indian gymnast in fray, Pranati Nayak, started their training on Monday (July 19).
India is on the range at the @Olympics. 👋🇮🇳#ArcheryatTokyo pic.twitter.com/0Fnfa4SEvr
— World Archery (@worldarchery) July 19, 2021
While archery couple Atanu and Deepika started sharpening their skills at the Yumenoshima Park on Monday (July 19) morning, paddlers Sathiyan and Sharath Kamal too began their preparations in search of an elusive Olympic medal in the sport.
Gymnasts Pranati Nayak also started her training this morning under the supervision of coach Laxman Manohar Sharma.
While shuttler Sindhu and Praneeth trained with singles coach Park Tae Sang, the men's doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy hit the courts along with their coach Mathias Boe.
Destination Tokyo 🗼
— SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) July 19, 2021
4 Days To #Tokyo2020!
Training Session | Day 1
Catch the glimpses from @Pvsindhu1 & @saiprneeth92 first training session along with Park Tae Sang at @Tokyo2020#Cheer4India@PMOIndia @ianuragthakur @NisithPramanik @WeAreTeamIndia @BAI_Media @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/3K7k7EQ85N
The sailors, including V Sarvanan, the first to reach Tokyo, had already started their training on Sunday.
Besides Saravanan (men's laser class), Nethra Kumanan, KC Ganapathy, and Varun Thakker, all of whom reached here last week, will be representing the country in the sailing event at the Tokyo Games.
Tokyo 2020: Indian rowers, sailor Vishnu train in Olympic Village
Rowers Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh, who will compete in men's lightweight double scull and arrived in the Japanese capital on Saturday (July 17) morning, underwent their first training session under the supervision of chief national coach Ismail Baig at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo Bay on Sunday (July 18).
The 15-strong group of Indian shooters also to hit the range on Monday.
As per the protocols laid down by the Organising committee, athletes arriving from India were required to undergo three-day mandatory quarantine upon reaching Tokyo which was later lifted, much to the relief of the country's athletes.
On reaching the Games Village after clearing their COVID tests at the airprot and receiving their PVC cards, the Indian athletes were allowed to use the common areas, including gymnasium and dinning hall.
After one year's delay, the Tokyo Olympics will finally be held under emergency conditions with no spectators because of the raging COVID-19 pandemic in the country.