NAURAJ HAPPY TO HIT HIGH NOTES
Consistently jumping to top heights after setting national record of 2.30m at Singapore Open last week
HIGH jumper Nauraj Singh Randhawa is happy to maintain his consistency after being denied a third international title this year on countback at the Shizuoka International meeting on Wednesday.
The 2016 Rio Olympian cleared 2.25 metres to finish second to Japan’s Takashi Eto, less than a week after setting a new national record of 2.30m at the Singapore Open.
This is Nauraj’s second runnerup finish after placing behind national teammate Lee Hup Wei at the Australian Athletics Championships in March.
But what pleased Nauraj, who was joined in Shizuoka by his Australia-based coach Alex Stewart and training partner Brandon Starc, the most was the fact that he is consistently hitting top heights.
“In a way the competition was good,” Nauraj, 25, told Timesport yesterday.
“It allowed me to attempt 2.30m again just six days after doing that in Singapore.
“Alex also seemed happy. He said that the results reflect (my progression) towards my 2.30m jump.
“This is unlike how I jumped 2.25m in my first competition this season when I followed that with a 2.14m a week later in March.
“Here the next height after 2.25m was 2.30m so he’s happy that I managed a jump which equals my fourth highest ever.”
Nauraj’s achievement in Singapore ensured he qualified for the London World Championships on Aug 3-14 on merit.
He is now ranked joint-second in the 2017 IAAF outdoor lists, alongside some illustrious names including Rio Olympic gold medallist Derek Drouin of Canada.
The athlete from Johor will use the next two weeks to train under Stewart in Chiba alongside Starc, who cleared 2.20m for fourth place in Shizuoka, before competing again at the IAAF World Challenge in Kawasaki.
“We are having a training camp here in Japan,” added Nauraj.
“So we just arrived at our training place in Chiba.
“For the next 16 days we will be staying here and training at the Juntendo University track preparing for Kawasaki.”
Nauraj’s preparation is also geared towards winning a third consecutive Sea Games gold medal in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 19-30.
Other than Nauraj, discus thrower Irfan Shamshuddin has left for Europe which is also the destination for hurdler Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian, who leaves this weekend.