The Indian men’s 4x400m relay team just set a new Asian record and finished in under three minutes at the World Championships, giving them a confidence boost that they believe will not only aid them in the Asian Games but also drive them to reach the Paris Olympics next year. The trio of Amoj Jacob, Mohd. Ajmal, Mohd. Anas Yahiya and Rajesh Ramesh have higher goals for themselves when they return to training at the SAI Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. This time the Indian Relay Quartet Aims Bigger Targets. Scroll down to read more scoop.
Indian Relay Quartet Aims Bigger Targets
Speaking about his targets, Amoj told the reporters on Saturday, “Our rehabilitation is complete, and we are now concentrating on conditioning. The Grand Prix (in Chandigarh) is the upcoming event, and we want to do well and avoid injuries.”
Amoj has slipped into serving as their unofficial spokesperson despite switching from the 800m to the shorter distance last year because he was not able to handle the workout. He said, “I can’t do that much running and was coming close to quitting the sport. We had intended to run in 2:58 before the heats, but the coach (Jason Dawson) had other ideas. He explained the running order to us and urged us to strive to finish in the front group to qualify while avoiding undue pressure from the clock.”
The next day he stated, “You have achieved what you wanted, now just give 2-3% more for the timing. Unfortunately, we were unable to do it.”
Becoming a sprinter
Speaking about how he became a sprinter, he said, “Coming from a middle distance, it is difficult to transition into sprints because you have to concentrate on many technical areas, plus I had injury difficulties. I had 6-7 injuries over three to four months last year, and it was so irritating that I considered giving up sports. But my parents helped, my friends encouraged me, and (coach) Rajmohan sir assisted me.”
Rajesh, who performed an excellent anchor leg in Budapest, entered the national relay camp in 2021 and acknowledged feeling anxious. He said, “At the Worlds last year, we could only complete in 3:07. It was my first major competition, and we also experienced injury problems. I admitted to Amoj before the heats that I was nervous, but he inspired me and urged me to solely concentrate on giving it my all.”
Anas claims that the sub-3-minute goal had been on their radar for a while. He said, “In actuality, we had intended to do it in the Asian Championships as well as in Sri Lanka. But that didn’t happen. We spend a lot of time hanging out together, even during camps. It helps us on the track as well. If one of us makes a mistake, the others work together to fix it and do better the following time.”
We wish all the athletes “All The Very Best” for their upcoming championship.
