Better facilities will help bring medal: Dattu Baban Bhokanal

Rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal missed out on a semi-final berth by six seconds in the men’s singles sculls at the Rio Olympics, but the experience of being on the biggest stage has helped him identify the plan for the next four years.

There is disappointment, but the rower is keen to take the positives out of Rio and believes “better facilities” and “an upgraded training regime” would help him cover the distance at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

“A medal is only possible if there are better facilities,” Dattu told this paper on his return. “For example, I need to have my physiotherapist with me till the next Games. There should be a thorough dietary plan and better fitness training facilities. Work for 2020 has to begin now.”

In Rio, competition from top rowers wasn’t the only thing on Dattu’s mind. His ailing mother was admitted to hospital as Dattu fought the odds far away from home.

“The thoughts of my hospitalised mother struck my mind when I was training in Miami and also during the Games, but I tried to divert them as much as I could. I had a responsibility to fulfill in Rio and I left the rest to God,” the army man said.

Dattu, 25, finished overall 13th clocking a personal best of 6:54:96 minutes, the best an Indian rower has been able to do at the mega-event.

Dattu earned his ticket to Rio with a silver medal at the qualifying event in South Korea in April, leaving him only three months to prepare for the Games.

“Rowers from New Zealand and Europe train for four years between the Games and that goes a long way in getting them medals. I hope we could do that as well,” he said. “I think I would have fetched a medal had I got two-three years of practice and better planning for the Olympics.

“Looking at my preparations, I was able to achieve as much as I had expected from myself.

“The real focus is the Tokyo Games now, where I will try to bring home a medal,” said the lanky rower from Maharashtra.

After his father passed away five years ago, Dattu has shouldered the responsibilities of his family of farmers and has been serving in the army. That is where most of his time and attention have gone.