Vinesh Phogat after defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Lura Ganikyzy last month at the Asian Olumpic Qualifiers in Bishkek to win a Paris Olympics quota. (Photo: United World Wrestling/Kadir Caliskan)
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) on Friday has approved Paris Olympic-bound wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s request to include her personal strength and conditioning coach Wayne Lombard for the Hungary training camp, scheduled from June 10 to 21, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) said in a statement.
Vinesh, who will be competing in 50kg division in the Paris Olympics, had requested for assistance towards Lombard’s airfare, visa fees, board and lodging and local transport in Hungary.
Vinesh will be competing in the United World Wrestling 2nd Ranking Series – Polyák Imre and Varga János Memorial from June 6 to 9 in Budapest.
The MOC has also approved the wrestler’s request to compete in the Grand Prix of Spain from July 5 to 7 in Madrid.
Neeraj to train in Finland
The reigning Olympic and World Champion Neerah Chopra will train in Kuortane (Finland) from May 29 to June 18. He will be accompanied by coach Klaus Bartonietz and physio Ishaan Marwaha.
The javelin thrower will prepare for the Paris Olympic Games from June 19 to July 7 in Saarbrucken, Germany. Thereafter, the 26-year-old will be at the Gloria Sports Arena in Turkey from July 8.
Shaili’s European stint extended
Long jumper Shaili Singh’s Euorpean stay has been extended by the ministry as she will continue to train Lisbon,Paris, Athends and Geneva along with her coach Anju Bobby Georges.
Personal coaches to accompany shooters
The MOC cleared the request from shotgun shooters Rajeshwari Kumari and Maheshwari Chauhan to take their personal coaches to the training camp in Italy in June. Rajeshwari’s coach David Kostelecky will accompany the trap shooter to Italy from June 1 to 14. She will be competing in the ISSF World Cup, Lonato.
Maheshwari’s coach Riccardo Fillipelli will be training her from May 31 to June 11. Maheshwari, who became the first Indian skeet shooter to win a quota for the Paris Olympics, will also be in the ISSF World Cup to be held in Lonato.
Other beneficiaries
Asian Games bronze medallist HS Prannoy will get the financial assistance to engage trainer Rohan George Mathews on a full-time basis from June 20 to July 22 in Hyderabad apart from availing the services of a centre that provides recovery products including Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy and Red Light therapy.
Maisnam Meiraba and Anupama Upadhyay have been given the green signal to compete in the BWF Super 100 Kaohsiung Masters to be held in June 16 to 24, and BWF Super 500 Sathio Australia Open from June 8 to 16 and Kaohsiung Masters, respectively.
Recurve archer Atanu Das’s request for monetary support towards two-month training at Army Sports Institute, Pune, from June 1 to August 5 along with coach Mim Gurung also gets the approval from the MOC. Another TOPS Core group archer Aditya Choudhary’s request for assistance to procure various equipment has also been approved.
The request of sailor Vishnu Saravanan to engage physio Sarath Lal for 40 days during his training camp in Marseille and Para powerlifter Ashok’s request to secure a wheelchair was also approved by the MOC.
