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At a time when several Tokyo Olympics-bound Indian athletes are struggling to train overseas due to travel restrictions, fencer Bhavani Devi has managed to get her preparations sorted. Bhavani Devi trained with the Italian national fencing team last month in Livorno in three intense one-week programmes.
Apart from Bhavani Devi, fencers from Ukraine and Greece were also present in the training programmes. Italy ranks second in the world in the senior women’s sabre events and thus training with them would have definitely boosted Bhavani Devi's confidence ahead of the Games.
Earlier this year, Bhavani Devi became the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics. The 27-year-old booked her Tokyo Olympics quota for the sabre event at the Fencing World Cup in March.
After hosts Hungary were ousted from the quarterfinals, Korea sailed into the semifinals, allowing the Indian to go through by dint of the Adjusted Official Ranking (AOR) Method.
With just less than two months to go until the Tokyo Olympics, it is natural that no country will allow any foreign athletes in their training programmes. But in the case of Bhavani Devi, it’s slightly different. The Indian has made Livorno her training base for the past few years and her friendship with the Italian fencers did the trick.
Credit should also go to the Fencing Association of India (FAI) and Sports Authority of India (SAI), who jointly put in a request to the Italian Fencing Association to assist Bhavani Devi.
“I am just very thankful to have the opportunity to train with their national team. They were very welcoming and the sessions have been very productive. It is about staying in the best possible shape mentally and physically. The sessions at the moment are all about making sure I am in the right space by the time the Olympics arrives,” Bhavani Devi told The Times of India.
Bhavani Devi gets inputs from former Olympic champion Aldo Montano
Interacting with former world champion and Olympic gold medallist Aldo Montano during the three-week camp was also a bonus for Bhavani Devi. The Italian gave Bhavani Devi input about handling pressure since it will be her maiden Games.
The 42-year-old Italian has won four Olympic medals (individual gold and team silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics, team bronze in the 2008 and 2012 editions). He will be participating at the Tokyo Olympics, which will be his final appearance at the grandest stage.
