Jaisha wants to train with veteran NRI coach Hargobind

Hargobind was the national athletics coach a decade ago when well-known long distance runners were fetching medals for the country.
OP Jaisha (File Photo | EPS)
OP Jaisha (File Photo | EPS)

KOCHI: Going by history, Indian athletics coaches who are plain-speaking and ambitious struggle in the domestic circuit. No wonder, whenever these bunch of talented coaches find an opportunity to migrate, they jump into the flight and take off. Ditto was the case with veteran coach Hargobind Singh Sandhu. A diligent coach, Hargobind was the national athletics coach a decade ago when the likes of long distance runners Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, Bahadur Prasad and Gulab Chand were still in their prime and fetching medals for the country.

The sexagenarian worked with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) a decade ago before moving to Louisville in the United States. It is learnt that he too expressed his interest to train Indian athletes. According to sources, Sandhu took the decision after long-distance runner OP Jaisha sought his service to resurrect her sagging career. The Kerala athlete acknowledged to Express that she had written to the veteran coach, asking him to take her as his trainee.

“After Rio Olympics, I wanted to train with a new coach. I was not ready to return to foreign coach Nikolai Snesarev. I was searching for someone who could bring the best out of me. It was during that time I conveyed my wish to train with him, and he agreed to take me under his wings,” said Jaisha.

Jaisha even wrote to Sports Minister Vijay Goel, requesting him to appoint the revered coach as national trainer. “I request honourable minister to kindly arrange the services of Hargobind Singh Sandhu who have got 19 national records broken at different times by his athletes (sic),” read the letter, a copy of which is with Express.

Reacting to the news, Shiny Wilson said Hargobind is one of the best coaches she had trained with, and termed him as an 'asset' for the team. “He was my coach during my early days in the national team. I benefitted a lot because of him and so did many others, including Jyotirmoyee and Bahadur.”

AFI chief CK Valson also expressed his regards for the coach and said that he is a man who had delivered goods in the past.

“He had given results in the past. And he is a person who speaks his mind but won't interfere in any other person's business. But, I can't tell whether he could be able to repeat the success in the new stint.”

Jaisha said she has requested the ministry either to bring Hargobind to Bengaluru or allow her to go abroad and train under him.

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