Quarter mile to go before Muhammed Anas Yahiya sleeps
KOCHI: Muhammed Anas Yahiya has had a busy few months. Not only did he become the first Indian since Milkha Singh to qualify for the final of a men’s track event at this summer’s Commonwealth Games, but also broke his own national 400m record twice — first in Gold Coast in June and again in the Czech Republic a few days ago.
“Leap of 60 years in 45.32 seconds,” noted Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, as Anas stormed into the final of CWG 2018. The 23-year-old brought it further down to 45.31 in the final but had to settle for fourth place. However, he is back with a 45.24s run last Saturday and aiming to stop the clock below 45 seconds at the Asian Games.
“When you see Anas run, you can see his commitment and determination. He is a different breed and one of the most talented India has produced,” attests 2004 Athens Olympian KM Binu, who is one among the only three Indian one-lappers to ever qualify for the Olympics. The others are the legendary Milkha in 1956 and 1960 and Anas in 2016.
Anas’ coach PB Jaikumar believes anything not below 45 seconds will be a disappointment in the continental meet. “There are runners from the Middle East who clock around 44.5s. So, it will be tough for Anas at the Asian Games, but you wouldn’t put it past him to finish on the podium,” said the coach. Having known him since 2012, Jaikumar is betting on him doing the unthinkable. “He missed the CWG bronze by the narrowest of margins. It was very disappointing and that fire is burning in him. He would want to make amends in Jakarta,” said the Kerala State Sports Council coach.
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Anas wasn’t too fond of the track at the start. He began as a long-jumper in his fifth standard, but suffered a tragedy when his father, a failed-athlete-turned-expat, died of heart attack in Saudi Arabia five years later. It was his dream to see his son become a successful athlete.
Anas and his brother Anees’ athletics careers got stalled, as their mother found it hard to sustain the family. However, joining Kerala schools athletics powerhouse Mar Basil Higher Secondary School in Kothamangalam a year later revived his career. “He was with us for a short period but we tried him out in 4x100 relay as well,” says Mar Basil coach Shibi Mathew.
“He proved he can do better in sprints than jumps and moved to Sree Krishna College, Guruvayoor, where he blossomed in the quarter-mile under Jaikumar,” she says. Fortunately for Anas, it wasn’t long before the Indian Navy recruited him — something that provided a comfort blanket for his family and helped Anas concentrate on the track. “We remember him as a hard working boy and it is an inspiration for our students to see Anas breaking records,” says Shibi, a recipient of the Kerala government’s best physical education teacher award.
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His preparation for the Asian Games hasn’t been ideal as Jaikumar has been unable to join him at the national camp, in the Czech town of Jablonec. The federation was adamant that Anas wouldn’t be allowed to stay back with his personal coach, a la prior to the CWG. However, he hasn’t let those hurdles affect his preparations. “The training is going well under foreign coach Galina Bukharina.
I always trust my coaches and it has paid off for me so far. I am happy to once again shave some time off my best in the final meet before the Asian Games,” says Anas. “I let the nerves get the better of me in Gold Coast, but now I want to do my best to win a medal at the Games,” he adds.
When he steps on to the track at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on August 26, he will have the weight of expectations on his shoulders. But motivating him would the sacrifices of his mother to make him what he is and the unfulfilled dream of his late father. “I would love to win something for my parents,” said Anas.