Harshita Tomar eyes LA Olympics qualification after second Asian Games sailing Bronze

New Delhi [India], October 8 (ANI): Indian sailor Harshita Tomar returned to the country with a second Asian Games bronze medal on Wednesday and immediately set her sights on the next challenge, saying her focus will now shift towards qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Harshita and her 19-year-old partner, Shital Verma, won bronze in the women's skiff event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with the Indian pair moving up to third after China's Xiaoyu Hu and Yuyue Sun were disqualified. The Indian duo initially finished fourth after nine races with 24 net points and 28 total points, but China's disqualification elevated them to the bronze-medal position.
Upon their arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, Harshita reflected on her second Asian Games medal and the disappointment of finishing fourth at the previous edition.
"It feels really good. This is my second Asian Games medal. I got bronze in 2018, and I came in fourth at the 2022 Asian Games, which was really disappointing. I fought hard right up to the end this time too, and then got the bronze," Harshita told ANI.
The 24-year-old, who grew up swimming in the Narmada River in Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, said coordination with Shital was crucial to their success in the event.
"On the boat, coordination between the two of us matters a lot--how we think, what our mindset is, what information our coach gives us, and how we execute it. Everything adds up to our performance in the races, and that's what ultimately shows our results. So, understanding your partner and having great coordination is super important," she said.
Harshita, who is also part of the Indian Navy, credited the organisation and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for their support and said the next target is the Los Angeles Olympics.
"From here on, we'll first focus on the Nationals. After that, we'll fully prepare for the LA Olympics qualifiers and the next Asian Games," she said.
Her partner Shital, who won her first Asian Games medal, also acknowledged the support she received from the Indian Navy, SAI, her family, coaches and friends.
"I'm feeling very good. Everyone here welcomed me very warmly. It feels really great; I'm feeling very special," Shital told ANI.
"I have a lot of support; SAI and the Navy have supported me a lot. My partner, coach, family, and friends have all been very supportive. Everyone has supported me everywhere. The credit for this goes to everyone," she added.
Shital also highlighted the role played by coach Varun Thakkar, who guided the pair throughout their campaign.
"His [Varun Thakkar’s] role was the main one, because he was with us in the water the whole time. He trained us a lot. We sailed continuously. In Japan too, the wind was pretty normal at the start, and then it got a bit heavy. We experienced almost all conditions. He didn't put much mental pressure on us either. He told us to sail freely and just give our best," she said.
Thakkar, a former Olympian and 2018 Asian Games bronze medallist, said he was proud of the progress made by the Indian sailing contingent, which returned from Aichi-Nagoya with three medals.
"I feel like after so many years being part of the sport, I think every year we have only been getting more and more medals for sailing. I did it in 2018. In 2022, I had a very bad year, but the team won medals. And again we come back here with three medals, and I think that's phenomenal for the sport," Thakkar told ANI.
Reflecting on Harshita and Shital's campaign, he praised the pair for holding their nerve under pressure.
"Talking about my team that I was coaching, I think they are phenomenal as a team. I was very, very happy with the way they sailed the event, and it was extremely nerve-wracking for them because, you know, one is very experienced, as Harshita has an Asian Games Bronze in 2018, and Shital, who wasn't really as experienced as her, she held her nerves very well in putting the team together," Thakkar said.
Varun, who represented India at the Tokyo Olympics, said his experience also helped the duo navigate the competition.
"My experience coming in as well, I think, kept everyone together and the team just started building. I think we gained about two years of experience just in these two weeks of competition and that's good for us," he said.
Thakkar was appointed on a short-term contract to guide the pair for the Asian Games and said he was pleased to have delivered on his target.
"I am on a very short contract with them, like six months, just to help them under the Asian Games. I promised them I would get them a medal, and I did. So now from here it's only upwards," he concluded. (ANI)