I am optimistic Rio will be productive for us: Anand

PTI

Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand.

Olympic Gold Quest’s ‘Road to Rio: Let’s get behind Team India’ began in right earnest here on Friday.

OGQ presented its athletes — shooter Gagan Narang and archer Deepika Kumari — to the media in an effort to spread its message, and make the world know that the Indian athletes are prepared and raring to go at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Gagan Narang, the London Olympics bronze medallist and the first athlete to join OGQ, said the major difference with the organisation was that it supports the sportspersons wholeheartedly, irrespective of the performance or result.

“OGQ always says, ‘look you have shown potential, don’t worry about anything else. That’s how the road to Beijing started for me. It was a really emotional moment. I went to Beijing as the favourite (he didn’t win a medal). When I went back, they said ‘ok, let’s focus and start again. That is where OGQ made a huge difference,” he said.

Deepika, World No. 10 in recurve, said OGQ is like “a family for us.”

“I am very happy to be a part of OGQ. They take care of our needs. I joined it in 2009-10. They don’t put any pressure and always support us,” she said.

Five-time World chess champion Viswanathan Anand and Director of OGQ, said it was fantastic sharing his experience with the OGQ sportsmen.

“I like OGQ as the creation of zone of excellence. They are all able to interact with us. We are a support staff to them. Someone they can call, someone to absorb the shocks,” he said. “I am optimistic that Rio will be very productive for us.”

The journey

Geet Sethi, co-founder of OGQ, spoke about the institution’s journey.

“When I started OGQ, I wanted it to be a movement of the people for the athletes. It’s finally when they stand in the victory podium at the Olympics, they cry. They are tears of joy. That’s the beauty of the Olympic medal. The cry is felt by each one of us, not by them alone. We are 101 members (sportspersons). I look forward to 200. Maybe that will happen in 2020. Please support the fantastic endeavour of the athletes and understand the emotions of athletes,” the former World billiards champion said.