Opinion Moscow,a stopover for relay squad
The return of Ashwini Akkunji to the Indian squad for the Moscow World Championships next month adds
The return of Ashwini Akkunji to the Indian squad for the Moscow World Championships next month adds a dash of experience and raw speed to the young but talented group of quarter-milers,who have their sights set on defending relay titles at next year’s Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
The inclusion of Asian Games double gold medallist was along expected lines. An eleventh-hour attempt by the Athletics Federation of India during the Asian Athletics Championships held in Pune earlier this month to draft Ashwini,who had just completed a two-year ban,into the squad was squashed because it failed to get the clearance of the technical delegation. The committee refused to give the hosts a concession to alter their original team.
But good tidings came when the emergence of new talent was confirmed as the squad comprising Nirmala,Tintu Luka,Anu Mariam Jose and MR Poovamma won gold at Pune and stopped the clock well within the 3:33.00 qualifying standard for Moscow.
Now,with Ashwini back in the squad that includes latest track sensation Poovamma and with Luka showing great promise in the 400 metres,there is hope of improved timings and podium finishes at Glasgow and Incheon but Moscow will be a different kettle of fish.
The gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships in Pune was the ninth that the women’s relay team had won at this competition. But the dominance at the Asian level will count for little when you have to compete against the best in the world. A glance at the season leading lists of 2013 puts the Indian squad’s timing of 3:32.26 from Pune only at No.35.
Moreover,this timing wouldn’t have been good enough for even a bronze medal at the New Delhi Commonwealth Games and is over three seconds slower than what Ashwini & Co. recorded at the Guangzhou Asian Games.
But with 12 months to go for Glasgow and a little longer for Incheon,the women’s relay squad has time on their hands to work towards reliving the glory of Delhi and Guangzhou.
Nihal is a senior assistant editor based in New Delhi
nihal.koshie@expressindia.com
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