Excellia School in a township on the outskirts of Lucknow is a restricted area nowadays as the Tokyo Olympics-bound Indian para-badminton players train in a bio-bubble here. Their national camp at the Uttar Pradesh Badminton Academy campus was suspended due to a spike in Covid-19 cases, forcing them to switch camp.
Thermal scanning, hand sanitisation and steam inhalation for the 20-odd shuttlers and support staff thrice a day is part of the routine. тАЬThis is our bio-secure bubble since training at the UP Badminton Academy was suspended. We didnтАЩt want to discontinue our preparations for Tokyo,тАЭ the teamтАЩs chief coach Gaurav Khanna said on Thursday. тАЬWe had a similar system even last year when the pandemic struck and we faced the lockdown.тАЭ
Managing funds and at least four cartridges of shuttles needed daily are part of the tasks at the camp. Three flats have been rented in the township for the campers.
тАЬBesides six Tokyo-bound players, there are others too. A few are locals but as part of the bio-bubble no one is allowed to go home. We donтАЩt want anybody to break the bubble. EveryoneтАЩs safety is my top priority,тАЭ said Khanna.
тАЬThe school is closed due to the spike in corona cases, so there is no disturbance to our training.тАЭ
The shuttlers include 2019 Para world championship winner and world No.11 in SL3 category Pramod Bhagat.
тАЬHere at this centre, we have all facilities for top class training with four courts. Within 15 days, we will have all other modern facilities like sauna, Jacuzzi, etc.,тАЭ said Khanna, who has been national coach since 2014.
This isnтАЩt the first time para-shuttlers have set up their own training centre.
Before even the national camp was sanctioned, the shuttlers were training at the Uttar Pradesh government-run Guru Gobind Singh Sports College.
Last month, Indian para-shuttlers won 20 medals at the Dubai Para Badminton International 2021.
тАЬTwo of our shuttlers are on the verge of qualifying for the Tokyo Games. If they make it, there will be eight from India,тАЭ said Khanna.
Travel restrictions put in place by countries due to the Covid-19 surge in India means the squad wonтАЩt travel to Spain for an international event before Tokyo. тАЬItтАЩs our last international outing before the Olympics, but due to tough travel protocols, we are unable to travel to Spain. We had plans to leave on Friday.
тАЬNow, we are focused on our preparations for Tokyo,тАЭ said Khanna, who also targets success for India at the BWF Para Badminton World Championships in October.
