‘Johal has made it to Olympics at the right time’

BY SUNDARI IYER

Mumbai

The 2004 Athens Olympics saw Dr Malav Shroff and his partner Sumeet Patel participate in the 49er class sailing event. This year his student, 28-year-old Major Nachhatar Singh Johal of the Army Yachting Node, will take part in the Finn Class at Beijing.

The memory Shroff cherishes the most of the last Olympics is his opportunity to have breakfast with the tennis ace Roger Federer.

"Federer inspires a lot of other youngsters. But getting so close to such a great player was a great experience," recalled Shroff.

"The Olympics is one place where we meet various sportsperson from our country under the same roof with one mission and target. The aim of every athlete participating is to make the country proud," he said.

The Mumbai-based sailor said that it was difficult for Indian sailors to win medals but if they made it to the top 15 it was a positive sign as they would get entry to the elite zone.

This time Dr Shroff will not go to Beijing as a participant but as Johal’s coach. Shroff will join Johal at the Olympics Village in a week’s time when he completes his 15-day training with the British team.

"I have been coaching for the last 20 years but then coaching for the Olympics is a totally different thing. There was no help from sponsors; we were struggling to manage the sport on our own. So I decided to sponsor Johal’s training in Beijing under the current world no. 2 Edward Wright," said Shroff.

Shroff was all praise of his student who has qualified for Olympics at an early age as most sailors struggle. "Sailors are at their peak of carrier at this age and Johal has made it to the Olympics at the right time. He is hardworking and learns fast and this kind of exposure will be a life time experience for him," admitted Shroff.