Asian Games 2018: Rower Bhokanal targets Asiad gold for late mother

The strong rowing contingent expectedly has not attracted much attention but they can significantly contribute to India’s medals tally at the Games.

Indian rowing technical director Nicolai Gioga expects medals in seven events including singles sculls where Bhokanal will be vying for the gold.

His average time has been hovering around the 7 minute mark and two weeks ago while training in Pune he also produced the time he clocked in Rio Olympics -- 6:54.96.

At Incheon Asian Games four years ago, Iran’s Mohsen Shadi won the gold with 7.05.66.

“A medal should come considering the times I have been producing but in rowing it is all about the wind. Pune was okay but here you never know about the wind. It stops and them comes from nowhere. So impossible to say what time will be good enough for a medal,” said Army man Bhokanal.

He is also in the hunt for gold in the quadruple sculls alongside Sawarn Singh and two others. Singh won a single sculls bronze at Incheon.

A big group of 34 rowers, all from Army barring one, have come to Palembang.

They live like a family and it is easily visible. It was the same set of people who stood by Bhokanal in tough times.

His mother was ailing when he took part in Rio Olympics, the only Indian to qualify, and in the same year she passed away. The 27-year-old from Talegaon in Nashik district was devastated and did not touch the rowing boat for a long time.