CHENNAI: MIDDLE and long-distance athletes in the country are set to get a new foreign coach soon according to sources in the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
After the premature exit of Belarusian Nikolai Snesarev early this year — his contract ran till the 2020 Tokyo Olympics — this is the first time AFI are planning to rope in a foreign coach.
Though the AFI is tight-lipped about the name, a source told this daily that he is Australian and is an expert in the field of sports science and research.
“We are not in a position to disclose any name at the moment as the contract is yet to be signed. But it will be out soon,” the source said. Apparently, the Sports Authority of India too seems agreeable to the name.
This will be a respite for athletes like Jinson Johnson and Avinash Sable. Johnson recently returned to India from his high-altitude training base at Colorado Springs after damaging his Achilles’ heel tendon. Though the extreme cold was a deterrent, the AFI apparently wanted steeplechase specialist Sable to join Johnson.
However, an AFI source confirmed that he won’t be going as of now. “There is nothing to worry about Johnson’s injury. He is recovering but we don’t want to risk it again by sending him. We can monitor his progress better if he is here. Sable also won’t be going,” the source added. While Sable has already qualified for the 2020 Games, Johnson is yet to achieve the mark of 3:35.00s.
Arpinder to continue at IIS
Despite the return of jump coach Bedros Bedrosian, triple jumper Arpinder Singh will continue to train under Antony Yaich at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) in Vijayanagar as of now. After the off-season, the 2018 Asian Games gold medallist, who is yet to qualify for the Olympics is also planning a trip to Cape Town, South Africa in February to start his season.
“I have requested the federation (AFI) to let me train here. I have been moving around, switching coaches all my life. In what is a crucial year, I don’t want to let anything halt my progress. I am comfortable with the coach here. I think my first competition in 2020 will be in South Africa,” said the 26-year-old who narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Doha Worlds.
Arpinder also said that a team of physios will be accompanying him to Cape Town. Compatriot Praveen Chitravel will also continue training at IIS. Long jumper M Sreeshankar has also requested AFI to let him train with father and coach S Murali.
The AFI had earlier told this daily that Bedros will be looking after some of the future jumpers. A total of nine jumpers (four long jumpers and five triple jumpers) including Mohammed Salahuddin are currently training under Bedros in Thiruvananthapuram.