SAI approves 6 foreign coaches
NEW DELHI: The Indian athletics contingent is set to get six foreign coaches to prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The proposal has been approved by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for a cumulative monthly cost of $42,000, and the federation is willing to have them in India within a month, depending on the Covid-19 situation.
Besides grooming athletes for the next Games, t he new recruits will also design longterm athlete development pathways, including scientific monitoring of national campers. They will also be required to assist i n coach education, including revision of the NIS diploma syllabus.
“We have been feeling the need for some coaches, both at the junior and senior level, for a while now,” Athletics Federation of India president Adille Sumariwalla said. “Rotational throws, javelin, sprints, race walking, and relay races have been classified as ‘ identified sports’ by us. This being a very competitive year, it is good that the recommendations have been approved. We want to have them onboard as soon as possible.”
The elite coaches include Finland’s Kimmo Kinnunen (Javelin), USA’S Tatiana Sibileva (Race Walk), Poland’s Josef Lisowski (sprints and relays), Cuba’s Juan Gualberto Napoles Cardenas (Long and Triple Jump), USA’S Scott Simmons (Middle and Long-distance), and Germany’s Steffen Reumann (discus and shot).
Contracts are being prepared and are expected to be shared with the coaches in a day or two according to AFI. “I cannot say the exact date by when the coaches will be here because it all depends on the COVID situation in India as well as in their respective countries. We are hoping to get all clearances done within a month,” Sumariwalla said.
Kinnunen, one of the 20 throwers to breach the 90-metre mark, is a former world champion (1991) and will train India’s second line of javelin throwers such as Shivpal Singh, Rohit Yadav, Sahil Silwal, and Yashvir Singh. He will be replacing Uwe Hohn, whose contract ended in August last year. The contract of Klaus Bartonietz, Neeraj Chopra’s coach, has recently been extended till the next Olympics. “Kinnunen is a very experienced coach, and will be free to share inputs with Bartonietz. All these coaches are extremely well-versed with sports science and will guide our athletes in the best way possible,” the AFI president said.
Meanwhile, athletics’ domestic season is faced with a false start, thanks to rising Covid cases. Earlier this week, AFI postponed the National Youth Athletics Championship which was scheduled from January 27-29 in Bhopal. The South Asian Athletics Federation (SAAF) Cross Country Championship, set to begin in Kohima, Nagaland, alongside National Cross Country Race on January 15, is also staring at an uncertain future.