OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONE IN SEARCH OF GLORY

New Delhi: In their quest to excel and succeed on the global sporting stage, athletes the world over often go outside their comfort zones, leaving behind the familiarity of home comfort. While it’s a norm to stay away from family, social gatherings and functions, the hardest part for Indian athletes training abroad often is the non availability of home-cooked food.
The Paris Olympics-bound Indian boxers, and their coaches and support staff, have ensured that they don’t feel the absence of their favourite daal, rice, sabzi, roti and chicken in faraway Saarbrücken. They have tied up with an Indian restaurant in the German city. They have taken along a chef (Dikshant) from NIS Patiala who was cooking for the boxers at the Sports Authority of India (SAI)-run facility and is well aware of the dietary requirements of the boxers.
Five of the six Olympics-bound pugilists – Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) and Nishant Dev (71Kg) – are at the German Olympic Centre in Saarbrucken for a month-long camp, which started on June 28, as part of their final preparations for of the Games. They will train alongside the national squads of Ireland, USA, Mongolia, Germany and Denmark among others.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI), during a recce tour to the facility last year, had identified a Punjabi restaurant in Saarbrücken – run by a family from Chandigarh – where the Indian boxers can go and have their favourite meals. Separately, considering their month-long stay, the coaches have bought enough ration from an Indian departmental store — including pulses, rice and spices — for the chef to cook at the facility. The boxers, too, sometimes cook the food of their choice after their sparring sessions.
One part of the kitchen has been given to the boxing contingent for cooking. Reigning Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu are also training at the same facility and along with their support staff, they have been eating their meals with the country’s boxers.
One full block, belonging to the football federation, has been given to the boxers. The entire building belongs to them till they move to the Olympic Village on July 22. “All facilities are within walking distance. The athletes have to just train, eat well, rest and recover and remain focused,” said a BFI official.
The boxers go out on leisure walks and sightseeing with Neeraj and Sindhu during their free time. They have an overnight camp stay also planned as part of team bonding. “It’s the best place to train, that’s why Neeraj and Sindhu also chose to train there with their support staff. Saarbrücken offers the same climate and time zone as Paris. The boxers will reach the Olympic village in Paris by train — only an hour and 48 minutes travel time from Saarbrücken,” the official added.