CHENNAI: While a lot of noise over the Indian athletes' performances in the Commonwealth Games remains fairly loud, the nation's male quarter-milers have been quietly putting in the work. It began with Vishal TK's 45.12s last year, but the biggest moment came when he recorded a sub-45 second run in the Ranchi Federation Cup in May this year.
Months later, at the ongoing World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, USA, Mohammed Ashfaq broke the U20 National record, with a 45.81 second run. While the likes of Jay Kumar (45.47s) and Dharmveer Choudhury (45.68s) have also worked to lower their marks, Ashfaq’s record breaking run – which helped him finish second in the heats to enter the semifinal of the men’s 400m finals – gives a sense of encouragement and conviction that the work behind the scenes are showing.
If one is looking for a reason behind these performances, they shouldn’t look beyond coach Jason Dawson. Dawson, who's been part of the coaching system since 2023, now has his bunch performing. A hard taskmaster and an outspoken man, the Jamaican coach is currently overseeing an overhaul of 400m athletes.
Clocking sub-46 seconds is not just it. While it is the right step towards challenging the bigger names from Britain, Africa and America, there is still a long way to go, and more work is needed. “My mission has always been to bring the team as high as possible, as world beaters, nothing less. The Americans, the British, you name the team, must understand that an Indian 400m runner is not going out there to take up a lane. They are going out there to compete well. That is something I always want,” Dawson had said last year.
Vishal, for example has taken on his coach's mindset, underlined by continous improvement. "This is my coach's mindset that I have. He taught me a lot. I'm still learning from him. Still more to come. I'm still learning how to run," Vishal had said in Ranchi.
Coming to Ashfaq, his progression just this season has been commendable. From 46.05s at the Junior Federation competition in Tumakuru in Karnataka to 45.81s in the Junior Worlds, he can only get better from this. In the semifinal, he finished third with a 46 second mark to enter the final. But the heat was where he excelled. Beginning from lane 5, he got a brilliant start and dominated the blocks. He was running level with Jayden DeLeon – who finished first with 45.63s – until the home stretch. Irrespective of the result late on Friday, Ashfaq will be returning home a better athlete, striving for better.
