In recent days, breathing seemed easier despite sports COVID-19long shadow. Still, a surprising full stop has erupted in a multidisciplinary continental event Postponement of Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, An outbreak that has seen an outbreak in Shanghai has apparently forced a rethink within the Chinese landscape. The Asian Games, to be held in September, needs a new window and there is speculation that like the Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed by a year and was held in 2021, the Asiad could also stretch to 2023. The World Championships, which was to be followed by the Commonwealth Games, was expected to be the major climax of the Asian Games. This benchmark has now disappeared, and athletes and sports bodies will have to change plans. Players gradually train to reach the ‘zone’ or ‘peak’ when they maximize their chances of winning a coveted medal. It’s tied to a supervised mix of training, nutrition and rest, while keeping an eye on event dates. However, last-minute changes affect even the best of plans and demand a recalculation from the athletes, coaching staff and sports federations and nations concerned.
The latest development offers a mixed bag for India, which, unlike the Olympics, finds better success rates in the Asiad and Commonwealth Games. But the indefinite postponement is seen as both a blessing and a curse, cutting across various aspects of the Indian game. With the Asian Games serving as a qualification event for the Paris Olympics in 2024, Hockey India was initially looking at fielding a second-string team at the Commonwealth Games and sending in its main team for the Asiad. Fears centered around the difficulty of peaking twice a year within a few months. But with China postponing the marquee event, a full-strength hockey team can now be sent to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games. The same relief applies to other athletes as they now have to focus only on the World Championships and Commonwealth Games. But for athletes over 30 to keep an eye on a swansong, it would be hard to stretch every sin even next year. 2018 Asiad gold medalist sprinter Jinson Johnson may have to train for an additional season. There are other complications to the boxing calendar, with the 2023 competitions being the criteria for Olympic qualification. An Asiad in that cycle would affect the preparation. China had its reasons for postponing, and the sports world will need to re-work on preparations and priorities.