GOING INTO THE Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the target set for the contingent was 100 medals. They did seven better, ending with 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze. In an interview with THE WEEK, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur talks about how the successful campaign took shape. Excerpts:
Q/ How satisfied are you with India’s performance?
A/ It is a historic moment for India and all of us. We said it and we did it! As the sports minister, I am happy that the hard work and determination of our athletes and the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to create a holistic sports ecosystem, combined with the support extended to them through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme and other government funds, have brought about these historic results.
Q/ Having achieved the 100-medal target in China, what are your expectations from next year’s Paris Olympics?
A/ The training of athletes who are likely to represent India in Paris started two years ago; it is on track. We have recently upgraded facilities at three National Centres of Excellence in Patiala, Bengaluru and Lucknow to provide international-level facilities to our athletes. Besides, we have greatly strengthened our sports science facilities and hired more than 200 experts as high-performance managers and directors to improve overall training. All athletes will continue to get overall as well as personalised support from TOPS.
Q/ Both kabaddi teams returned with gold medals. How important was it to see them back on top?
This story is from the October 22, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the October 22, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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