India’s sporting tradition might run deep but sustaining a legacy and emulating feats of yore have never been a strong point. As hosts of the 20th Asian Athletics Championship that begins at the sprawling Balewadi Sports Complex here from Wednesday, India have a wonderful opportunity to brush aside their fading image as an athletic power centre in Asia in the five-day event that will include 42 events.
While sport like shooting, boxing, badminton and archery have made headways in the last decade; athletics have not produced enough champions. Countries like Bahrain, Iran and Kazakhstan have shown major improvement to challenge the dominance of China and Japan and India will need to rise to the challenge. With 107 Indian athletes for the Continental meet — the largest in the Championships — the hosts have their task cut out. India’s hopes will rest on experienced campaigners like Vikas Gowda (men’s discus), Sudha Singh (women’s 3000m steeplechase), M.R. Poovamma (women’s 400m), Kumaravel Prem Kumar (men’s long jump), Tintu Luka (women’s 800m) and Renjith Maheswary (men’s triple jump), besides others. The hosts can also look up to Krishna Poonia to deliver but the Commonwealth Games gold medallist is returning after an injury and might adopt a cautious approach. Having jumped 8metre at the inter-state meet in Chennai earlier this year, Prem Kumar is in good form and stands a good chance.
With five events slated to host finals on the opening day, the hosts will bank on women’s long jumper Mayookha Johny, the only Indian defending champion. Among the international stars, former 800m world champion Yusuf Saad Kamel from Bahrain and women’s 1,500m Maryam Yusuf Jamal will showcase their skills.
Meanwhile, Surendra Singh, the former Olympian and Indian record holder in the 3,000 metres and the 10,000 metres is confident of long-distance events producing medals for India. “ We have very talented runners and I can tell you we will win medals,” he said.