CHENNAI: M Sreeshankar and his coach are focused. The long-jump national record-holder begins his quest for glory on the first day of the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Friday.
He may not be as big a favourite as Tokyo 2020 gold champion Neeraj Chopra, but, going by his season performances, he does sniff an 'outside' chance. A wee bit, but enough to keep the faith simmering.
Sreeshankar's father and coach, Murali, too is hopeful of a good jump on the day of the qualification on Friday. That's the first goal.
"We have to jump above 8m and our focus will be to do that first and qualify," he said.
The two reached Eugene on Thursday from Chula Vista, where they had their acclimatisation and training for around 10 days. The coach said their Chula Vista sessions were very good.
"The diet too was quite good. The 10 days or so helped us get used to the US time and now we have reached Eugene for the big event. Here too things are fine and getting used to the food and accommodation," he said.
Though others might find more time to 'adjust', Sreeshankar, along with 20km race walkers and shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor (qualification), will be heading to the ground on Friday.
Though there are quite a few who can overtake him based on their personal bests, the long-jumper will find it heartening that his national record of 8.36m is the tied-second best outdoor jump this season in the world.
Olympic champion Greek Miltiadis Tentoglou, who is in the same Group B in qualification, is the other long-jumper to have cleared it.
The qualification mark for long jump is set at 8.15m but best 12 will qualify.
Defending world champion Tajay Gayle (PB: 8.69m) too is listed in Sreeshankar's group. Decathlete-turned-long-jumper, Simon Ehammar, of Switzerland, whose 8.45m is the best this season, is in Group A alongside Sreeshankar's teammates Mohammad Anees and Jeswin Aldrin.
Like Sreeshankar had acknowledged, his urge to do better every jump has been motivated by the two teammates who had constantly been breathing down his neck.
At the Worlds, Sreeshankar would love to exorcise the demons of failure and subsequent criticisms for not qualifying for the final in Tokyo last year. Like his father said from Eugene, "we need to qualify and Sreeshankar is feeling quite nice and is in good shape, too."
After the fiasco at the Olympics last year, where Sreeshankar performed below his best, he and his coach would take one hurdle at a time.