Arpinder could have done better if I was there: Coach
GLASGOW/ NEW DELHI:
Arpinder Singh’s sterling performance of 17.17m in men’s triple jump, which was a national record in the June 5-8 Senior National Inter-State Athletics meet in Lucknow, had not only ranked him one of the best in the weeks leading to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, but also elevated him to the status of a medal prospect. He proved himself at by winning bronze with a jump of 16.63m on Saturday.
The 21-year-old Punjab athlete produced his best jump in his first attempt, but failed to improve on it in the course of the event. He did 16.46m, 16.31m and 16.09m after his first effort while his last two attempts were fouls. ‘A PERFECT TAKEOFF WOULD HAVE HELPED’ Back home Arpinder’s coach — SS Pannu said, his trainee’s overall performance could have been better had there been someone to guide him to set his run-up. Arpinder was confused, says Pannu, before the final round as he was not able to mark his run-up.
He said: “The fact that he struggled to set the right mark for a perfect takeoff meant that the 17m mark remained elusive.”
According to his coach, In June when Arpinder had set the national record, his run-up was set much before the main round and he had worked on it too. “It resulted in his record-breaking show,” he added.
Despite setting a national record Arpinder’s coach was dropped from the Indian contingent to Glasgow by the Athletics Federation of India. AFI gave preference to throwers and had as many as five coaches including chief coach accompanying them. JAVELIN THROWERS DISAPPOINT But overall performance of the throwers turned out to be below par compared to the last edition of the Games in Delhi. Except for Vikas Gowda winning gold in men’s discus and Seema Antil Punia winning silver in the women’s discus, others including OP Karhana and Krishna Poonia were not so impressive. The biggest disappointment was the two javelin throwers Vipin Kasana and Ravinder Singh Khaira who returned with no mark results.
In the men’s triple jump, South Africa’s Khotso Mokoena won the gold with a season best performance of 17.2 metres. He was the only competitor to go over 17 metres. The South African in fact passed up his fifth and sixth jumps after setting the mark.
The silver went to Nigeria’s Tosin Oke, who also earned a season best jump of 16.84 metre at the Hampden Park Stadium.