London: Assistant coach in boxing, Sandhya Gurung and sports psychologist Gayatri Vartak have been included in the Indian contingent days before the start of the Commonwealth Games (CWG). Dronacharya awardee Sandhya Gurung is an assistant coach in the national camp. She has been working closely with Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain.
Vartak is a mental conditioning coach who worked with the Indian table tennis team at the national camp in May.
“Sandhya Gurung and Gayatri Vartak have been included in the Indian contingent,” an IOA source informed Monday.
Also read: CWG medal-aspirant boxer Lovlina Borgohain alleges ‘politics’ hampering her preparations
Gurung is credited with pulling Lovlina out of a difficult mental place before the Tokyo Olympics. She had travelled with the boxing contingent to Ireland where the pugilists underwent a 15-day camp.
Gurung on arrival in Birmingham, was stuck at the airport as she was a last-minute addition to India’s CWG contingent and her accreditation hadn’t arrived. She checked in to the hotel where the extra officials are staying. Vartak, on the other hand, is still awaiting her visa.
“Sandhya has already reached Birmingham but Gayatri is waiting for her visa which will arrive by tomorrow,” the source said.
A former badminton player, Vartak will be primarily assisting the paddlers at the quadrennial event. However, she has also helped the likes of shuttler Lakshya Sen and squash player Saurav Goshal in the past among others. Her absence from the final TT squad had not got down well with the players last week, with the likes of veteran Sharath Kamal and reigning national champion Sreeja Akula saying her presence would have made a ‘big difference’.
