Cyclist Triyasha Paul recovers from COVID-19, national camp begins

India's 12 elite cyclists on Friday began their training camp at the IG Complex here after Triyasha Paul recovered from COVID-19, the national federation said. Paul, who tested positive for the virus last month, has recovered and joined the camp. The other cyclists, who reported for the camp early last month, has also completed their quarantine period.

"Paul has tested negative twice and so she has recovered from the virus. She has also joined the camp. There is no issue now," Cycling Federation of India chairman Onkar Singh told PTI. "We have started full-fledged camp after the quarantine period of 12 elite cyclists. The players are following all the SOPs of the government strictly. This is the first camp to start at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex post the lockdown."

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju visited the cyclists on Friday to take stock of the camp. "India’s elite young cyclists have resumed their training at the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex. All the training preparations are good and health safety measures are being followed strictly. Now we have very good cycling prospects at top International level," Rijiju tweeted later.

India's elite young cyclists have resumed their training at Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex. The health safety measures are being followed strictly. Now we have very good cycling prospects at top international levels. pic.twitter.com/8sdKMUjw7z

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 4, 2020

Singh appraised Rijiju on the future planning of Indian cycling with a vision of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics. He said the CFI is still hopeful of hosting the Track Asia Cup later this year. The tournament, which Indian has been hosting every year in recent times, is to be held next month but is now unlikely to happen due to the pandemic.

"We are still hoping to host the tournament this year. The sports minister assured me that the government is ready to support financially whenever the tournament happens," Singh said.

On the tournaments coming up next year, he said, "The cyclists were disappointed after the cancellation of the UCI Junior World Track Cycling Championship 2020, but now they have again started their intensive training looking forward the various international events across the World."

"They are concentrating for the Track Asia Cup 2020 in New Delhi slated for the later part of the year and also for the Asian Track Cycling Championships to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan in early part of 2021," Singh added.

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