Wearing India colors

In Doha, Qatar as part of the Indian contingent for the 15th Asian Games from December 1-15, 2006 are veteran yachtsman Farokh Tarapore, now 46, 15-year-old sailor Xerxes Bamboat and 20-year-old swimmer Rehan Poncha. Chief national sailing coach Homi Motiwala is also at the Games.

Tarapore has participated in all the Asian Games since 1982 and has won several medals. Speaking to Parsiana the day after Farokh and his crew, 33-year-old Vikas Kapila left for Doha, his wife Anahita said: "Farokh and Vikas have put in so much time, energy and effort into the training and preparations it is bound to bear results. We have paid from our pocket to get coaches for short periods from New Zealand and Australia who specialize in different weather conditions for the 470 (class of boat). At Asian Games level you are fighting against the best. Farokh will be racing against yachtsmen half his age. It is a physical achievement in itself. As far as the weather is concerned, there is some element of luck, the rest depends on their own hard work. There are a series of 10 races. I think their chances are very good.”

Battling wind and waves at Doha as India’s sole representative in the Optimist class of boat (for children aged 15 and under) is Xerxes Bamboat. A standard nine student at St Mary’s School (ICSE) in Bombay, the teenager is the reigning national Optimist champion (coastal and inland sailing). "Asian Games’ rules allow only two Optimists to compete from each country—one boy and one girl,” says Xerxes’ mother Hamshad. While Xerxes secured seventh place (out of 25 entries) in the Asian Sailing Championship 2006 in Doha in March this year, no girl qualified (in the top half of the fleet).

Representing India: 1 & 2 Farokh Tarapore and 470 yacht; 3 & 4 Xerxes Bamboat and Optimist flotilla; 5 Homi Motiwala; 6 & 7 Rehan Poncha;

With parents Sheri (a committed sailor himself) and Hamshad securely anchoring the young mariner as far as time, energy and expense is concerned, Xerxes has already sailed in Optimist championships in Poland, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore and attended a private coaching clinic in Spain. For the prestigious but very tough Asian Games, Bamboat is being coached by young Optimist coach Neeta Angre under Motiwala’s guidance. Remarks Anahita Tarapore: "Farokh always maintains that Xerxes is a naturally talented sailor. Nurture him, give him the right training and facilities and he will go places.”

A strong middle distance swimmer, Rehan Poncha holds the record for "all-time best Indian performance” in three events — 400 m and 200 m individual medley (IM) and 400 m freestyle, says his father Jehangir. This year Poncha took part in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the SAF Games in Colombo in August where he won three golds (and rewrote records as well) and two silvers. At Doha, Poncha is a key member of the small but select Indian swimming squad — four boys and one girl ( a quick glance at the Games website www.dohaasiangames.org in the third week of November showed 18 swimmers, including 10 girls, from neighboring Pakistan and over 50 from China!). "We have been training very hard at the Sports Authority of India pool under national head coach Pradeep Kumar (who is also his personal coach), swimming morning and evening with gym workouts in between,” Poncha said. "The strongest challenge is from the Chinese and Japanese swimmers. I will be happy if I figure in a couple of finals and place among the top six or seven. Looking at the last Asian Games timings and speaking realistically, a medal is very difficult at this time.” Poncha has won (up to November, as per his bio data) 447 individual medals, including 46 golds, and 83 relay medals in state, national and international meets.