Why it’s been a mixed bag for Indian athletes in the Asian Games

RESULTS from the track and field competitions at the Asian Games have once again brought the spotlight on the Indian athletics team. On one hand, there were several encouraging results, none more so than the 4×400 women’s relay gold medal; on the other, there were several disappointing results that put a question mark on India’s global standing.

Were there any miscalculations on the part of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI)? Yes. The AFI knew that at least four of the medal contenders — triple jumper Praveen Chithravel, hurdler Jyothi Yarraji, high jumper Sarvesh Kushare and 400m hurdler Yashas P — were injured before the start of competition. Yet after consultation with the coaching staff and doctors, they were cleared to take part. Of them, only Sarvesh showed up for competition, picking up a creditable silver. Sarvesh, who cleared 2.25 metres, settled for second place to Chinese Taipei’s Chao-hsuan Fu on count back.

The rest did not recover in time to compete. If not for the last-day heroics by the Indian quartet of Kiran Pahal, Prachi Chaudhary, MR Poovamma and Vithya Ramraj where they relegated China and Bahrain to win the 4x400m gold medal, the knives would be out.

Federation orders probe

The AFI has ordered an inquiry into the matter, seeking explanations from private coaches after the trio withdrew from competition. AFI’s chairman of selection committee and spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla defended the selections, saying they were assured by the coaching and medical staff of the athletes’ recoveries.

“There are two ways to look at this. One, they are not 100 per cent fit so don’t take them at all or force them to compete to prove fitness. The other way was to look at the report filed by the doctors that cleared them to compete and showed confidence about their availability. Some of them failed but we got one medal (Sarvesh),” Sumariwalla said.

“Selection jobs are not easy. We dropped Shahnawaz Khan (long jumper) as he was unfit but others were cleared. A computer can also select a team but we have to look at performances and potential. One jump of 17m from Chithravel could have landed us another medal. We have ordered an inquiry and we will get to the bottom of this,” he added.

Second-place handshakes

Apart from questionable selections, there is also the small matter of winning a solitary gold medal at the 2026 edition. At the 2022 Asian Games, Indian athletes won a total of 29 medals, including 6 gold, 14 silver and 9 bronze medals. At the Aichi-Nagoya Games, that tally is 1 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze medals for a total of 24 medals.

Pole vaulter Baranica Elangovan bagged a bronze.

A former Asian Games medallist said the Indian teams have to recalibrate as to how they approach the games. “Look at the Thailand sprinter (Puripol Boonson). He did the sprint double here. It is not as if our standards have dropped drastically in Aichi-Nagoya. It could be that the rest of the Asian countries have moved ahead of us. We seriously have to have a major rethink about how we go about our training and competition schedules moving forward,” he said, on condition of anonymity.

Disappointments apart, there were some very encouraging results from track and field. Sawan Barwal, who won the silver medal in the men’s marathon, ended a 44-year medal drought in the Asian Games. He also broke the national record with a timing of 2:11:37, 21 seconds faster than his own mark of 2:11:58 in Rotterdam in April.

Similarly, Vithya broke the 42-year-old national record held by now Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha by clocking 54.75s to win the bronze medal in the 400m hurdles. Adille said he would rather think of the improving performances of the athletics team than lose sleep over medals.

“We should stop looking at medals only. Sure we are down on the gold winning count but on performances, I think it is encouraging. We are on the upward trajectory looking at the pole vault results. Yes we are not world- beaters but both Dev Meena, who broke the national record, and Baranica Elangovan (bronze medal) gave it all. Such results should be celebrated,” he said.

Sawan Barwal won a silver medal in men’s marathon. ANI