Neeraj Chopra For Switzerland; Manu Bhaker To Italy As Sports Ministry Sanctions Foreign Training
While Neeraj Chopra is expected to show up for both Commonwealth and Asian Games, Manu Bhaker will compete only in the Asiad as shooting remains omitted from the CWG.
Recuperating from a back injury, Indian javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra will head to the Olympic Training Centre in Switzerland from May 25, while shooter Manu Bhaker has jetted off to Italy after the Sports Ministry approved their foreign exposure proposals in view of this year's Commonwealth and Asian Games. While Chopra is expected to show up for both the events, Bhaker will compete only in the Asiad as shooting remains omitted from the CWG. Chopra's request for a 47-day off-season training camp in Bienne, Switzerland, along with Bhaker's plan, was approved at the Ministry's Mission Olympic Cell's 173rd meeting on Wednesday.
"The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core athlete, who is rehabilitating from back injury in Turkiye, will train at the Olympic Training Centre in Bienne from May 25 to July 10 as preparation for the two mega multi-discipline events," the Sports Authority said in a statement.
The Commonwealth Games will be staged in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23 to August 2, while the Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4.
Chopra is yet to compete this year after his scheduled season-opener, the Doha Diamond League, was postponed due to the ongoing military conflict in the Gulf region.
He had won gold in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and also finished on top in the 2018 and 2022 Asian Games.
The 28-year-old from Haryana will be accompanied by his long-time physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha and coach Jai Choudhary in Bienne, a place he is familiar with given his lengthy stints there before becoming a superstar with his epoch-making Tokyo Olympics gold.
"The proposal covers travel and accommodation cost of the three-member team including airfare, hotel expenses, food, visa, extra baggage allowance for javelin and treatment bed, medical insurance and out-of-pocket allowance of USD 25 per day for 47 days, among others," SAI stated.
Headed by Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao, the MOC also approved foreign training for double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker in Lucca, Italy.
The sanction is from May 13 to 22.
The 24-year-old is accompanied by her coach Jaspal Rana and physiotherapist Snehil Khurana.
"The proposal covers travel and accommodation cost of the three-member team besides range charges, among others." Bhaker will be competing in women's 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events at the Asian Games and is a strong medal contender.
The MOC also gave a go ahead to long-distance runner Gulveer Singh's proposal for a 34-day training and competition exposure with his coach in the USA from May 15 to June 17.
Gulveer, an Asian Games bronze-medallist and gold medal winner in the 5000m and 10,000m races at Asian Championships, will compete in top races in Los Angeles and Nashville respectively.
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