ndian athletes making ready for the 2026 Asian Video games are doing one thing relatively uncommon earlier than travelling to Japan. They’re spending nights inside transformed delivery containers.
And there’s a excellent purpose for it.
The Aichi Nagoya Asian Video games won’t have a standard athletes’ village. As an alternative, greater than 17,000 athletes and officers might be accommodated throughout inns, a cruise ship and short-term container fashion items.
So India have determined to ensure their athletes know precisely what to anticipate earlier than they even attain Japan.
The Sports activities Authority of India has arrange transformed delivery containers at its centres in Patiala and Bengaluru, the place athletes are taking turns spending the night time earlier than waking up and persevering with with their regular coaching routine the subsequent morning.
The 40 foot containers have been changed into surprisingly practical dwelling areas, with beds, air con, bogs, a small kitchen space and space for storing.
Why India need their athletes to sleep in containers
Getting used to the restricted area has not been simple for everybody.
Commonwealth Video games bronze medallist discus thrower Seema Kaliraman spent two nights inside one of many containers and admitted she struggled to sleep on the primary night time. By the second night time, nonetheless, she had began getting used to it.
For 2 time Asian Video games shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor, there may be one other apparent downside. He stands six toes 4 inches tall.
Toor admitted that area may very well be a difficulty for greater athletes, particularly with all their coaching tools, however believes experiencing the situations now will make issues a lot simpler as soon as they arrive in Japan.
And India are usually not stopping with the lodging.
On the SAI centre in Bengaluru, Japanese meals has additionally been launched to the menu, together with sushi, so athletes are aware of what may very well be ready for them in Japan.
It would sound like an excessive stage of preparation, however there’s a easy thought behind it. India don’t need their athletes arriving at one of many largest occasions of their careers and being distracted by the place they’re sleeping or what they’re consuming.
The 2026 Asian Video games will happen in Aichi Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. India gained a file 107 medals in Hangzhou, together with 28 golds, and as they give the impression of being to go even higher this time, preparations have gone so far as ensuring an unfamiliar bed room doesn’t change into an undesirable distraction.
