After a below-par performance at the recently finished Asian Athletic Championship, London Olympics semifinalist Tintu Luka is planning to try her luck in 400m next season. Though 800m will remain her pet event, it was her good show in the 4x400m relay that has prompted Tintu and coach PT Usha to select 400m as the second event.
Talking to TNIE, Usha said they are thinking of participating in the new event in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. “800m undoubtedly will remain her pet event. But since she ran well in the 4x400m relay in Pune, we started thinking about the 400m as well.”
Usha said participating in the one-lap run will improve Luka’s sprinting ability which may help the 24-year-old in the long run. Though Usha said Tintu’s participation in 400m is for enhancing her performance in the 800m, it can’t be denied that it was her gold haul in the 4x 400m relay and Tintu’s adaptability forced the coach to go for a second event.
Tintu had run the second lap in the relay and her awesome sprinting helped her climb from third position to the top. “After the first lap the team was trailing and after Tintu’s run we were almost 20m ahead. She has got explosive power and that performance even stunned me,” said the legendary athlete-turned coach.
In Pune, Tintu had come up with a mediocre performance in her pet event and finished third with a timing of 2:02.55s, a far cry from her personal best of 1:59.69secs. The deadline of qualification for the Moscow World Championship is July 27 and Usha has got limited time to ensure Tintu makes the cut. Given her performance in the Diamond League, Inter-state nationals and Asian Championships, running under 2:01.15s, the qualifying mark for Moscow, seems to be an uphill task. Catching the Moscow bus as a 4x 400m relay team member, which seems to be her only option as of now.