2020 Olympics special interview – Bhavani Devi: Meeting one of my idols, Sania Mirza, was a highlight

As the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, I was incredibly excited. However, our preparations were far from ideal due to the impact of COVID-19 on our training.

Although I was happy to be with my family in Chennai, I was not satisfied with the quality and intensity of my practice sessions. The year leading up to the Tokyo Olympics was challenging, and I was nervous about making the cut. But after I qualified, everything changed, and I was filled with energy.

I travelled to the Tokyo Olympics from Italy with my coach. Upon reaching the airport, there was a long queue of athletes waiting, filling out forms, and following COVID-19 protocols. It felt like I was already in the Olympic Village! Finally, after many COVID-19 tests, I arrived there. I stayed in the same block as the Indian women’s hockey team, and it was a great experience to see Novak Djokovic at the Village. It’s unusual to see top tennis players in the Village. Every day at the dining hall, there was a crowd of people waiting to get the autograph of the former World No. 1 from Serbia. The dining hall was said to be the best place to see top players from different countries come together.

There was a lot of talk about fencing, which made me happy. However, I didn’t meet any top fencers as they were all busy preparing for their events.

I’ve always admired Indian athletes from other sports. I was lucky to meet one of my idols, Sania Mirza, and I told her, “You are one of my biggest inspirations.” Due to COVID-19 protocols, we were asked to leave immediately after our event. It was great to see Indian athletes from different disciplines. Since I had arrived early to prepare, I attended the opening ceremony. Unfortunately, I couldn’t watch the closing ceremony as we had to leave the venue due to COVID-19 protocols.

There was a lack of enthusiasm from the residents of Tokyo for the Olympics, likely due to the impact of COVID-19. The streets were empty, and there were few spectators at the venues. The Village had a large recovery hall for athletes, with support staff available for those in need. I was grateful to have my mother visit me, thanks to the support of the Sports Ministry.

Winning my first match against Tunisia’s Nadia Ben Azizi and becoming the first Indian fencer to achieve this at the Olympics was a great feeling. Overall, it was a fun and valuable learning experience. I’m now training in Orléans, near Paris, and although I didn’t qualify for the Paris Olympics, I’m determined to move forward.

As told to K. Keerthivasan