Yachting: Games of the XXXII Olympiad Rodney Govinden intensifies training as Games close in |09 June 2021

Rodney Govinden during a training session

With barely a month remaining before the start of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8 in Tokyo, Japan, local sailor Rodney Govinden has intensified his training, working out six days a week, both on water and in the gym.

The only local athlete to book his ticket for Tokyo, Govinden is presently at the Viana Sailing in Viana do Castelo, Portugal where he said training is going good so far, both fitness-wise and on the water.

Speaking to Sports NATION, Govinden said he is training six days per week on the water and five days in the gym.

He explained that he is working in a group of four, along with three other sailors from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

“The main focus for now is on improving my speed upwind and downwind and building my strength and sailing fitness,” explained Govinden who further added that he will eventually start focusing on improving the starts and boat-to-boat tactics.

It was in 2019 that Govinden earned automatic qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, after clinching the Laser gold medal at the 2019 African Championship RSX and Laser.

Other than the Olympic ticket, the continental medal made him the country’s highest decorated athlete for 2019, earning him the Sportsman of the Year title.

At the competition held in Algiers, Algeria in October 2019, Govinden registered three first places, five second places, one third place, one 10th place and one 11th position; but after his two worst finishes – 10th and 11th places – were discarded, he finished with a nett score of 22 points, enough to bring home the gold medal and to book his trip to Tokyo.

This year’s Olympic Games will be Govinden’s second after competing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016 where he finished 45th overall.

These Games were scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan from July 24 to August 9 last year but because of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, they were postponed to this year, from July 23 to August 8 and will not allow international spectators.

Las month, Govinden won the XIV Memorial Alejandra Fernández - Trofeo Berberecho competition held in Spain.

He claimed six first places in the seven races to finish with six points for first place overall. It was only in the fifth race that he was ranked fourth and that particular race was won by Pablo Reboreda Dia. Since the fourth place finish was Govinden’s worst finish, it was discarded, leaving him with six points.

This year’s Games will be Govinden’s second after competing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016 where he finished 45th overall.

These Games were scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan from July 24 to August 9 last year but because of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, they were postponed to this year, from July 23 to August 8 and will not allow international spectators.

The Viana Sailing is a sailing company that provides world class coaching for the Laser and Optimist class.

Founded by a group of international coaches with a vast experience on the field, Viana Sailing’s goal is to provide coaching and chartering services improving the sailing skills of the sailors and helping them to reach their goals.

Its Sailbase is in Viana do Castelo, a city in the North of Portugal which provides all range of wind and waves conditions, giving the guarantee of more than 95 percent of possible days to sail. With interior bays and a wide river, it allows sailors to sail even in the pick of the winter when the Atlantic is more aggressive.

The annual average temperature is of 20 degrees Celsius and the average intensity of the wind is around 12 knots.

Roland Duval