Tokyo-bound Apurvi Chandela tests positive for COVID-19
Apurvi Chandela is the fourth Indian Olympic-bound shooter to test positive for COVID-19 after Rahi Sarnobat, Saurabh Chaudhary and Deepak Kumar.
Apurvi Chandela has become the latest Tokyo-bound athlete and the fourth shooter from India to test positive for COVID-19.
Last month, fellow shooters Rahi Sarnobat, Saurabh Chaudhary and Deepak Kumar tested positive for the novel coronavirus. All have qualified for Tokyo 2020.
Apart from the shooters, several other Tokyo-qualified Indian athletes have also tested positive for COVID-19 recently. They include boxers Ashish Kumar and Simranjit Kaur, steeplechaser Avinash Sable, race walker Priyanka Goswami and seven members of the Indian women’s hockey team.
India is reeling under a severe second COVID wave. The country reported a fresh high of 412,262 new cases and 3,980 deaths on Thursday, according to the health ministry. The crisis even forced the Indian Premier League (IPL) to be suspended after several cricketers and staff tested positive.
The 28-year-old Chandela was expected to travel to Zagreb, Croatia next week for the European Championships along with other members of the Indian Olympic shooting contingent.
Ahead of their departure from New Delhi, the shooters, along with their coaches and support staff, were to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations. After the European Championships, the Indian contingent is scheduled to stay back in Croatia before travelling directly to Tokyo for the Olympics.
India have named a 15-member core squad for Tokyo, comprising 13 pistol and rifle shooters and two skeet shooters, who are now in Italy.
Chandela secured a quota for the Tokyo Olympics in 2018 after finishing fourth in the women’s 10m air rifle final at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship in Changwon, South Korea. Chandela also participated in the Rio Olympics 2016, where she finished in 34th place.