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Deepali bids to turn Tokyo Olympics low into a Paris high
The seasoned shooter and coach has helped five of her trainees earn quota spots for India, for the 2024 Paris Olympics
The Tokyo Olympics was one of the worst phases Deepali Deshpande has seen in her long career, first as an India shooter and then as a national coach. Times were uncertain. Covid had disrupted the preparation and training of India's shooting contingent though expectations of medals was sky high.
The outcome was a crushing blow. The hyped-up shooters returned empty-handed from Tokyo. Forget about not winning a medal, only one shooter, Saurabh Chaudhary in air pistol, could qualify for a final. This was the same bunch that was winning World Cup gold medals and shooting world record scores. The situation surrounding Covid -- no training camps, competition, and a lack of planning for a long period -- had played a big part, affecting their performances.
Deepali, as one of the main national coaches, faced the heat. She was not retained after the Olympics. She decided to completely focus on her own trainees. Lessons from the Tokyo debacle spurred a determination in her.
The hard work put in by the Mumbai-based coach is beginning to pay dividends. Five of her trainees -- Swapnil Kusale, Akhil Sheoran, Shriyanka Sadangi, Sift Kaur Samra and Arjun Babuta -- have secured quota places for the country for the Paris Olympics. All four available quotas in 50m rifle 3-positions -- Deepali is a specialist in the event -- have gone to her trainees.
"I was expecting this result. I've been working with them with a very focused approach for the Paris Olympics. The hard lessons that Tokyo taught me has helped me plan better," she says.
As someone who has played a key role in shaping India's junior programme since 2012, Deepali knows the current lot very well. Several of the experienced rifle shooters like the seasoned Anjum Moudgil -- the 2018 world championships silver medallist -- have risen under Deepali's guidance.
"I've been training them since 2012 but as my responsibility grew with the national teams, first with the juniors and then the seniors from 2018, I was not able to give them individual attention. And shooting is a sport where you need to give time to them separately because each one could be having their own issues."
One thing Deepali was certain after Tokyo; the quota places will be won by shooters from the current lot.
"This Olympics cycle is of only three years and it is difficult for a newcomer to come in this small time period and win quota places. So, my focus was on those who were there from 2012-- Swapnil, Akhil, Shriyanka, Arjun, Anjum -- they have graduated from junior level and have the experience.
“Actually, for us the preparation never stopped. It was a continuation from Tokyo. It was just that now I had more time to work with them.”
Deepali is hands on with her trainees, always just a call away. Be it giving them mental support in times when they are not doing well or planning their training and competition schedule and choosing the right ammunition, she goes through every finer aspect. She also travels with them for domestic competitions.
"Personal coaches play a big role in a sport like shooting. It is a big support system for them. Who is going to help them when they lose their places in the national team? Anjum lost her place recently. You need to work with her because she is one of your best shooters. I know there have been issues in the national team because of multiple coaches and you have to find a way to work seamlessly with national and personal coaches."
The Tokyo failures made her wiser and she changed her approach in preparing for a major event like the Olympics.
"I have competed in only one Olympics (2004 Athens). Tokyo was so different because of Covid and the uncertainty surrounding it. Also, there were so much expectations from the shooters, the noise was too much. You have to factor in each and every small thing while preparing."
Deepali feels there has to be Plan B or C for any kind of situation. "For example, the ammunition. You can't sit on when they will arrive, you have to ensure you procure them yourself if it doesn't come on time. I have already started the process of doing it for my shooters."
Ask about Tokyo and she says, "we had put the right processes in place before Covid and things changed dramatically. Shooting is a temperament based sport. Shooters are used to a level of stress management. Our training plans had gone awry after Covid. Shooters were training at home, many of them had no range near their homes, ammunition was an issue."
At the Delhi World Cup in March 2021, shooters had some good results and it seemed they had regained form.
"After the World Cup we just assumed everything was back to normal and that is when the second Covid wave struck. For the next six weeks the shooters again sat at home with nothing to do. We needed to have a camp or a plan. The situation was bad, yes, but we needed to quickly find a solution."
A solution was worked out. The National Rifle Association of India sent the entire 15-member contingent to Croatia for a two-and-a-half month training camp from where they directly left for Tokyo.
"It was a last-minute arrangement but the only option available at that time. It was a new and constantly evolving situation for everyone and we did whatever best was possible. Even when we landed in Tokyo, there were so many other things to take care of, like ensuring that the shooters do not get Covid.
"Whatever happened in Tokyo, the experience for me and the entire team was huge. It was such a big lesson and it will help in preparation towards the Paris Olympics."
