Trying ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is all set to present promising athletes an opportunity with an intention to boost the efficiency of the boys’s 4x400m relay crew.
The relay crew, which reached the 2023 World championships by setting an Asian document of two:59.05, disenchanted on the Paris Olympics because it crashed out within the heats with a below-par time of three:00.26.
The AFI, which backed the relay crew effectively with the help from the Authorities, will not be shy of taking arduous selections. “They did effectively on the World championships, breaking the Asian document. I believe it went to their head…You’re going to see new faces and new coaches,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla instructed The Hindu throughout the Nationwide junior athletics championships on the Kalinga Stadium right here.
Sumariwalla was additionally disenchanted with steeplechaser Avinash Sable’s efficiency within the Olympics. Sable, who achieved his private better of 8:09.91 in July, clocked 8:14.18 within the Olympics last to complete eleventh.
The AFI is taking a number of measures to carry Indian athletes’ efficiency in larger meets, such because the 2027 World championships and 2028 Olympics.
“We’re getting a brand new javelin coach aside from Neeraj’s coach (Jan Zelezny) to India. We’re getting another overseas coach within the 400m. We’re planning to ship our walkers overseas for coaching. We’re not going to have camps. We’re serving to all of the establishments to create their very own champions, aside from the relays.”
Sumariwalla mentioned India is bidding to host worldwide occasions, together with a javelin competitors, a continental tour occasion, World Relays, World junior championships and the 2029 World championships.
Paying attention to a number of distinctive performances within the Nationwide junior meet right here, Sumariwalla agreed that a few of these may very well be a trigger for concern. “If they’re under-14 or under-16, positively it’s a trigger for concern. It’s one thing which we’ve been combating for a very long time — overtraining and early specialisation. That’s the reason we’re producing an increasing number of new coaches”
The AFI is planning so as to add 10 extra occasions, together with some regional competitions, to the 2025 calendar.
Printed – December 11, 2024 08:47 pm IST
