Indian athletes set to shine on big stage at Asian Games as Hangzhou set to touch great heights host, believes OCA President Raja Randhir Singh

The acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia has expressed high confidence that India will do very well in the Asian Games.

Indian athletes set to shine on big stage at Asian Games as Hangzhou set to touch great heights host, believes OCA President Raja Randhir Singh

Raja Randhir Singh (Via India Today)

Raja Randhir Singh, acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia, expects the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, to be high voltage, which will grab eyeballs. In an exclusive interview with FirstSportz on Monday, Randhir, former President of the Indian Olympic Association and himself a trap shooter who had represented India in multiple Olympics and Asian Games, said that “the Games will be top class”. It will be held from September 23 to October 8.

FS: Your thoughts on Hangzhou as the host city?

Randhir Singh: These Games are going to be world-class in every sense. All of us who have watched China host big ticket events since the 2008 Beijing Olympics are aware how they put on a great show. After the Olympics, I saw Guangzhou host the 2010 Asian Games and then the Winter Olympics. Hangzhou will be touching great heights.

FS Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FopfZEubMQE&pp=ygUeUmFqYSBSYW5kaGlyIFNpbmdoIGFzaWFuIGdhbWVz

FS: These Asian Games were to be held in 2022. How does the postponement work?

Randhir Singh: I think this one year postponement due to the Covid pandemic has been for the better. In terms of preparation and getting the infrastructure, Hangzhou was ready two years ago. To have a safe Asian Games, the decision to postpone was made. From an athletes’ perspective, to be competing in a safe environment is crucial. Around 13,000 athletes will be converging in Hangzhou and it will be indeed a great ambience.

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FS: Do you think China keeps raising the bar as hosts as well as inside the sporting arenas?

Randhir Singh: The Beijing Olympics had left everyone in awe, so did the last Asian Games (2010) and the Winter Olympics (2022). I have been part of the Coordination Commission for long for the Hangzhou Games and am well aware of how much preparation has gone in. There will be world class facilities for athletes and the fans will also have a great experience.

FS: Your thoughts on standards rising in Asia in sport?

Randhir Singh: My mind goes back to the first Asian Games in 1951 in New Delhi when I was a young boy. The growth of the Asian Games and the Asian Games Movement is worth praise. I started my journey in sports exactly 60 years ago. From being a competitor to the head of the Indian Olympic Association and then member in the IOC, I am thankful for my journey. Today, the Asian Games is a class act. Seeing is believing and Hangzhou will live up to it.

FS: How proud a moment is it now to see your daughter (Rajeshwari Kumari) competing on the big stage. She has qualified for the Paris Olympics in trap shooting as well?

Rajeshwari Kumari
Rajeshwari Kumari (Via Indian Express)

Randhir Singh: Well, as a father, I am extremely happy as she carries a legacy forward. We come from the Patiala Royal family which has contributed to Indian sport all along. I am hoping my daughter can win a medal for India in the major events coming up. Technically, she is the fourth generation from our family to be involved in sports.

FS: You have been involved with Indian sports for long. How do you think India will fare in the Asian Games?

Randhir Singh: I am confident India will do very well in the Asian Games. I fully agree with the campaign being run on SONY TV that India can win over a 100 medals. Our Indian athletes are now fully prepared and the variety of events they compete in is important. India can win medals in so many events from athletics to shooting and archery. I cannot predict an exact count of medals for India but we could well be doing better than ever before. Today, the Indian athletes are capable of shining on the big stage. We have marquee names out there. I will be supporting the India athletes as well in Hangzhou.

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