Tokyo 2020: National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand expects wealthy haul of medals from Indian contingent

National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand is hopeful that the Indian contingent will return with a wealthy haul of medals from the Tokyo Olympics, ranging from July 23.

“This is going to be challenging, but I do believe that Indian sport is at the crossroads of making a big achievement or a big jump. I hope that we get enough medals, so they give a boost in the arm to us,” stated Gopichand, throughout a webinar on ‘Tokyo Olympics – India’s Journey and Expectations’ organised by the National Sports University in Manipur.Gopichand stated that the athletes on the Games Village are usually not going to mingle freely and it is going to be troublesome to establish them as they are going to preserve their faces lined.”Athletes are going to play and leave, so it going to be a very different and tough Olympics for our athletes as well. It is important that they mask themselves, keep their head down, focus on the job, win and come back,” Gopichand stated.Gopichand stated he can see many ‘great starting points’ within the sporting eco-system in India and a giant haul of medals within the Tokyo Olympics could be the springboard in making the nation a sporting powerhouse.”The athletes have been supported end to end, I don’t think any athlete can complain or ask for anything better. Although I still would say there is a lot to be done at grass-root and intermediate level, the top players have been supported like nothing before, that is something which is amazing,” stated Gopichand.He stated the nation as a complete is transferring in the correct route, although there are numerous issues to be sorted out.”In a country so big, in a sporting eco-system so diverse, it is not easy to find a formula of success. It’s a big challenge but I see we are going forward in the right direction.”Funding shouldn’t be the problem, however how we channelise our efforts collectively is essential. Everybody has to come back collectively on the identical web page and begin working, so {that a} distant grass-root degree venture whether or not it is in Mizoram or Manipur, or in Kerala or Gujarat or Jammu and Kashmir, flows into the nationwide squad,” stated Gopichand.