Aiming high through Hima and Johnson
NEW DELHI: At the beginning of 2018 season, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) think tank was desperately looking for a quarter-miler to anchor the national 4x400m women’s team in the Jakarta Asian Games.
It wasn’t that those already in the camp were not on track, but they were all runners in the 53-second bracket. When India won the gold at the 2014 Incheon Games, the quartet of Priyanka Pawar, Tintu Luka, Mandeep Kaur and MR Poovamma had clocked three minutes, 28.68, averaging 52.17 seconds.
There was clearly more room for speed. The search ended in March as Hima Das, the teenager from Assam, decimated a strong field to emerge the 400m champion in the Federation Cup in April, the qualifying event for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Hima constantly touched 52 seconds in top class fields, and the icing on the cake being the 400m final of the World U-20 championships in Finland, where she clocked 51.46 seconds. It has raised hopes of India heralding a new era in track.
In the women’s 400m at Incheon, Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain won in 51.59 secs. But Hima’s ability to do better in each race is an added advantage, she had exhibited that quality in the World junior meet. On paper, Hima with a personal best of 51.13 secs, looks favourite. However, the Indian sprinter will face a stiff challenge from Naser Eid Salwa of Bahrain, who set an Asian record of 49.08 secs in the Monaco Diamond League.
Besides 400m and relay, Hima will also race 200m. With a personal best of 23.10 secs, she is a medal prospect. But she faces strong competition from the likes of Kazakhstan’s Viktoriya Zyabkina, whose season’s best is 22.73 secs.
Since PT Usha’s haul of five medals in sprint, including four gold, in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games India haven’t seen individual brilliance on the big stage
TRACK TALES After world U20 gold, eyes on Hima to conquer Asia; Army’s Johnson broke Sriram’s record to raise hopes
though Jyotirmoyee Sikdar won a 800m and 1500m double at the 1998 Bangkok Asian
Games.
Among men, Muhammed Anas set the national mark of 45.24 seconds this season. But he will have to run the race of his life as Qatar’s Abdalelah Haroun Hassan has thrown down the gauntlet with a timing of 44.07 seconds.
In the middle distance races, the focus will be on Army’s Jinson Johnson, who clocked 1:45.65 to win the 800m at the Guwahati inter-state meet and erase the 42-year-old record of 1:45.77 seconds set by Sriram Singh in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. India’s last 800m Asian Games gold came in the 1982 Games through Charles Borromeo. Johnson, who will also race in 1500m, is doing high-altitude training in
Bhutan with Olympian
Sudha Singh. Seasoned steeplechase runner
Naveen Kumar’s testing positive could not have come at a more inopportune time. The Incheon Games bronze winner was a medal prospect but now faces four-year ban.
Despite the issues, Ramesh isn’t distracted.
“Last three weeks are vital. A slight error in training could be detrimental,” he said. “There is a lot of pressure but the best way is to stay focused for a podium finish. We want to end the medal drought in 100m.”
Since Rachita Mistry’s bronze medal in 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, 100m sprinters have failed to climb the podium. “It will be a big achievement if we manage to win a medal. Moreover, it will erase the memory of missing 2014 Incheon Asian Games due to IAAF hyperandrogenism policy,” said Dutee’s coach.
Dutee was debarred in 2014, but later appealed to CAS and got a reprieve in 2015. After failing to make cut for Commonwealth Games, the UP runner is all set to make amends in Indonesia. The Olympian had narrowly missed bronze in 2014, but is hopeful of podium finish this time.
With a tally of 34 medals (10 G, 12 S, 12 B) it has been best ever performance of the national team. PS Brar was only male athlete to win two golds, one each in shot put and discus. Milkha Singh claimed gold medals in 200m and 400m. Kamaljeet Sandhu was the first female runner to win 400m gold. Hari Chand become first Indian to win gold in 5,000m and 10,000m. PT Usha was the first to claim five medals four of them gold. She also won the 4x400m gold. India failed to win gold. It was second time in history of Asian Games, Indian team returned without a gold medal. Jyotirmoyee Sikdar claimed the 800m and 1500m double in Bangkok. Indian women's 4x400m relay team set Asian Games record of 3:29.02 secs. India overall won 13 medals (2 gold, 3 silver and 8 bronze).