Mirza, Raina, Bopanna, Ramanathan included in SAI's TOPS Scheme

The program helps in training the athletes with hopes of a medal at the upcoming Asian Games.

Tennis players Sania Mirza, Ankita Raina, Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan have been included in the Core group of athletes for support under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) with an eye on the Asian Games in Hangzhou later this year.

At a meeting of the Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell today, the tennis players were selected for support under TOPS after the All India Tennis Association presented the four players as prospects for doubles medals.

The MOC also approved Rs. 3.62 lakh to help teenage archer Manjiri Alone purchase a Recurve Bow set. She won bronze in the 2021 World Archery Youth Championships in Wroclaw, Poland in August last. The archer who hails from Nandgaon Khandeshwar in Amaravati distict in Maharashtra was runner-up in NTPC Sub-Junior Ranking Tournament in January 2022.

The MOC sanctioned a proposal worth Rs 4.31 lakh for pistol shooter Singhraj Adhana, who won a silver and a bronze in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo last year, to stay and train in the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Ranges from February 10 to March 25. The cost includes Rs 2.26 lakh for ammunition for the 25m and 50m events.

Singhraj Adhana’s proposal was in keeping with the MOC decision to allow athletes to stay and train in the Sports Authority of India’s National Centres of Excellence for a short duration. Coach JP Nautiyal, who is already with Manish Narwal in the Tughlakabad range, will extend his stay by 10 days to assist Singhraj Adhana.

Skeet shooter Gurjot Singh’s proposal for ammunition and clay targets worth Rs 2.68 lakh was approved as also teenage air rifle shooter Rudranksh Patil’s proposal for equipment worth Rs 1.03 lakh was sanctioned under the TOPS Scheme.

The Ministry supports elite athletes primarily under the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) of each National Sports Federation. TOPS provides customised support to athletes in areas not covered under the ACTC and addresses unanticipated needs of the athletes as they prepare to excel in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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