2 hours ago
2
In 2 decades, Harika has seen the state go a chess powerhouse, but ne'er marque it to the apical of the podium. Until Sunday. (FIDE/Maria Emelianova)
Harika Dronavalli, sitting astatine Doha Airport successful betwixt 2 flights that yet brings her home, is taking a travel down representation lane recounting the aggregate Olympiads that she’s been to and experienced lone heartbreak. Her tryst with the Olympiads started aboriginal astatine the picturesque metropolis of Calvià connected the Spanish land of Mallorca. She’s conscionable 13 years aged astatine this stage, a prodigy successful the truest consciousness of the word. But she’s scared. That was 20 years ago. Harika has been to each Olympiad since then. In these 2 decades, she’s seen the state go a chess powerhouse, but ne'er marque it to the apical of the podium. Until Sunday.
In an interrogation with The Indian Express, she recounts her Olympiad memories:
How unusual was it for you that you started playing astatine Olympiads 20 years ago, erstwhile immoderate of your teammates were not adjacent born. But present you’re sharing a golden together?
Harika Dronavalli: I’ve seen generations change. I’m 1 of those women players who person been playing for truthful galore years, astatine each these Olympiads without fail. Earlier earlier us, they had a definite level past it got better. And it kept increasing. But we were inactive not making it connected the podiums. Then past year, we had a podium decorativeness astatine past with bronze. Then this twelvemonth we person gold. We person a procreation present of kids who person started their Olympiad vocation with a gold. Now the situation is to enactment there. Definitely gladsome that I person seen this shift. I’m highly blessed that 1 of my dreams to beryllium connected apical of the podium with the women’s squad was fulfilled. I ever believed that the Indian women’s squad could bash it and I ne'er understood wherefore we could not marque it.
Can you opposition this Olympiad with the archetypal Olympiad you went to?
Harika Dronavalli: I was truly frightened and worried. It was the archetypal clip I had gone to a tourney unsocial arsenic a 13-year-old. I was nether truthful overmuch pressure. The skipper and teammates backmost past were truly bully and they made plentifulness of efforts to marque maine consciousness comfortable. I retrieve I made 9 draws backmost past due to the fact that the skipper was telling maine that conscionable negociate and beryllium harmless connected your board, it’s fine. That’s however my Olympiad acquisition started. Back past it utilized to beryllium 14 rounds long, and we utilized to play truly good for 10 rounds and past 11th circular onwards it would conscionable change, possibly due to the fact that of the duration of the tourney and truthful on. Then I person seen India missing retired by tiny margins successful astir each the tournaments. At immoderate point, you person to command! You can’t conscionable beryllium underdogs and play well! At these tournaments, you request to get up aft 1 acceptable back. At the past 2 Olympiads we started arsenic the apical seeds. It makes a immense difference, you are much confident. As a federation successful chess, we person grown.
You person said you felt a flimsy guilt coming into the past circular due to the fact that you had ne'er mislaid 3 games successful a squad lawsuit earlier this
Harika Dronavalli: Even though I had 3 losses, I besides had 3 wins. It’s not a spot I would be. In wide I’m precise solid, determination volition beryllium draws and possibly 1 crippled present and determination goes wrong. It was hard connected maine arsenic I’m not utilized to this situation. This has ne'er happened successful the past 20 years. The crushed was that for the past period I person been going brainsick with things connected the household beforehand similar readying my daughter’s birthday. So I couldn’t prepare. Somewhere I wasn’t wholly assured coming into the tournament. The unit took a toll connected me. But past I figured retired however to tackle it. In pugnacious times, I was getting messages from adjacent friends who were telling maine that without maine the squad cannot get it done. They were telling maine that I volition beryllium determination erstwhile the important clip comes. And I’m gladsome I was determination successful the past round.
Your girl was delivered precise adjacent to the Olympiad successful 2022, right? You could not adjacent play during the last circular due to the fact that the doctors had warned you?
Harika Dronavalli: Last time, I would person played successful the past crippled (against USA). But without maine the squad had won the penultimate circular 3-1. Meanwhile, the doctors had told maine precise powerfully that I person to present successful Chennai itself if I don’t spell home. The interest was, successful lawsuit I beryllium connected the committee and thing happens, I person to springiness up my constituent and it could alteration the equilibrium of the match. That’s wherefore we decided that I volition not beryllium connected the board. Now due to the fact that things did not enactment successful the last circular (league leaders India mislaid 1-3 to the 7th seeded team, USA, to extremity with bronze)there has ever been that thought that possibly we should person tried it. All of america felt that we could person taken a chance. But each of those memories person vanished with this 1 gold.
Where would you fertile this gold?
Harika Dronavalli: It’s decidedly 1 of the astir important for maine due to the fact that individually I person performed successful each events similar satellite championships. But successful squad events, I ne'er understood wherefore the Indian women’s squad could not marque it to the top. At each lawsuit I spell reasoning we tin marque it. This lawsuit for maine is affectional due to the fact that we succeeded successful what I believe.
.png "indianexpress.")
.png "khaleejtimes")
.png "arabnews")
.png "gulfnews"){kind=logo}
English (US) · 
Hindi (IN) ·