‘Food is barely survivable’: Indian athletes struggling to find preferred meals at Paris Olympics

New Delhi: It has been a bit of a struggle for the Indian athletes to find food that can satiate their taste buds at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. India have sent a strong contingent of 117 athletes for the Paris Games as they aim to better their record medals tally from the last edition in Tokyo. While athletes are willing to give their all in their respective sporting disciplines, it has not been easy for them to find suitable food to fuel their ambitions.

As per a report in PTI, it has been a struggle for the Indian shooting contingent to find food agreeable to their taste buds despite their being two athletes’ villages in Paris. While some athletes have been relying on South Asian restaurants to have their daily meals, some have been cooking their food on their own inside the villages. A shooter termed the food being served in the athletes’ villages as ‘barely survivable’.

“Food is barely survivable, just managing somehow,” the Indian shooter was quoted as saying by PTI.

Indian shooters began their campaign at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Saturday, July 27. While Sarabjot Singh and Arjun Singh Cheema failed to qualify for the final of the men’s 10m air pistol event, Manu Bhaker became the first Indian to reach the final of the women’s 10m air pistol event at the Olympics. Bhaker will be battling for glory in the final on Sunday.

Coach Jaspal Rana cooking his own food in Paris

India’s pistol coach Jaspal Rana revealed he has been cooking his food in Paris to avoid eating the food that is being served inside the athletes’ villages. Rana said he cooked Rajma-Chawal at his apartment after getting the required groceries from a store nearby.

“Hum toh khud banate hain (I cook for myself). Yesterday I had Rajma-Chawal. Got the (required) stuff from a grocery store and cooked at my apartment,” Rana told PTI.

The Indian shooters might be struggling to get their preferred kind of meals at the Paris Games but will be focused on returning home with medals. Bhaker is well-placed to end India’s 12-year-long drought for a shooting medal at the Olympics. She will be competing in the women’s 10m air pistol final on Sunday and will be aiming to win her maiden Olympic medal.

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 Indian athletes are struggling to find preffered food at the two atheletes’ villages in Paris for the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. While some are relying on South Asian restaurants, some are cooking their own meals.  Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today