CHENNAI: Triple jumper Praveen Chithravel’s burgeoning career is very much in its early stages, but injuries have already proved to be a source of mild irritation for him. More specifically, he has suffered hamstring injuries on both his left and right leg on a few occasions and had to face sizeable spells on the sidelines as a consequence. Such spells can wear you down mentally and sow seeds of doubt, especially when you are all of 20 years old and still figuring your way out in the quest to reach the upper echelons of your discipline.
Having endured those uncertain periods, Praveen is now hoping to enjoy a consistent run given that he is completely free from the clutches of injury. His gold at the 60th National Open Athletics Championships in Warangal on Sunday, where he achieved his personal best with a jump of 16.88m, has reassured him that he doesn’t have to worry on the injury front.
“Injuries are a thing of the past now. I feel like I have mentally overcome those injuries. I am fully fit now and confident that I can perform without any doubts. I was always expecting to achieve my personal best in this competition,” Praveen says.
Since winning bronze at the 2018 Youth Olympics, Praveen has received the full backing of JSW Sports, which notably supports Neeraj Chopra among other athletes. Chopra’s success has buoyed the entire athletics fraternity in the country and redrawn the boundaries of what is achievable for an Indian athlete on the global stage.
The star javelin thrower, of course, is a busy man these days with all and sundry wanting a piece of the 23-year-old, but Praveen managed to have a brief conversation with Chopra when the latter was recently felicitated by JSW at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) in Vijayanagar. The conversation lasted for a few seconds perhaps, but it has left a lasting impression on Praveen’s impressionable mind.
“He asked me how my training was progressing and about my upcoming meets. It was so inspiring to talk to him after what he has achieved. I struggle to find the right words to describe the impact, but he is a role model for all of us,” explains the athlete from Tamil Nadu.
For Praveen to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Neeraj, he believes that he needs exposure to the highest quality of training. In that regard, he has been left disappointed by French coach Antony Yaich’s return to his homeland.
Yaich, informs Praveen, was the head of track-and-field at JSW’s IIS until a month or so ago but his contract has now run out. Praveen has had training stints in France on a couple of occasions and wants to return to Europe to train under “one of the best coaches” in the world.
“I want to go and train with Yaich in France. He is one of the best coaches. It has been one-and-a-half months since he returned home. If I want to improve as an athlete and breach the 17m mark, I need his support. I will show a good improvement under him and be ready for the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games next year.”