Paris-bound Rohan Bopanna and Sriram Balaji to compete in two ATP events

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports' Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has approved Tennis ace Rohan Bopanna's request for assistance for him and his men's doubles partner Sriram Balaji to compete in two ATP Tour events ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Rohan Bopanna and Sriram Balaji, accompanied by their coach and physiotherapist, will compete in ATP 500 events in Hamburg and Umag before heading to Paris.

MOC also approved requests from shooters Rhythm Sangwan, Sarabjot Singh, Vijayveer, and Anish Bhanwala for assistance towards expenses related to personal coaches or trainers during the Olympic Training Camp in Volmerange and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at Chateauroux. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) will cover their flight costs, board and lodging, visa expenses, and local transportation.

Requests from skeet shooters Maheshwari Chauhan and Anantjeet Singh Naruka were also approved by MOC for assistance to train with personal coaches Riccardo Fillipelli in Arrezo, Italy, and Ennio Falco at the Tiro A Volo Falco range in Capua, Italy, respectively.

During the meeting, MOC decided to provide support to steeplechasers Avinash Sable and Parul Chaudhary, along with their coach Scott Simmons, for training in St. Moritz, Switzerland, for 24 days leading up to the Olympic Games.

Further approvals included assistance for the Women's Relay 4x400m team to procure equipment and for table tennis player Harmeet Desai's training support in Biberach, Germany, including the purchase of consumables and fees for support staff.

MOC has also inducted 400m Sprinter Kiran Pahal, High Jumper Sarvesh Anil Kushare, and Shot Putter Abha Khatua into the TOPS Core group for the Paris Olympics Cycle.

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Pragya Paliwal Gaur/ Himanshu Pathak