Athletics Federation of India asks for retention of most of the foreign coaches
© Getty Images
The Athletics Federation of India(AFI) has asked the Sports Authority of India and the Sports Ministry to retain most of the foreign coaches of the national team, but has not sought for the extension of Ukrainian sprint coach Dmitry Vinaykin and recovery expert Andrey Filiminov of Russia.
Long-distance coach Nikolai Snesarev and relay team coach Yuri Ogorodnik have been given the thumbs up by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) along with Australia’s Garry Calvert (javelin) and Russia’s Alexander Artsybashev (walk).
She also set a new national record in the process of her qualification for the final of the 3000m steeplechase event with a timing of 9:19.76 – almost seven seconds faster than the previous mark of 9:26.55 set by Sudha Singh earlier this year in Shanghai.
“Nikolai has produced results consistently, and Lalita Babar, finishing 10th in the 3000m steeplechase in the Rio Olympics, was the high point,” The Hindu quoted an unnamed source as saying. “Moreover, next year we have the Asian championships (in Ranchi from July 1 to 4) and World championships (in London from Aug. 4 to 13) coming up, and we don’t have much time in our hands.”
Relay team coach Ogorodnik has also been appreciated by the AFI as both the men's and the women's team qualified for the Olympics. The Indian men’s 4x400m relay quartet anchored by Arokia Rajiv clocked a time of 3:00.91 during the third India Grand Prix to set a new national mark and qualify for the Olympics.
However, they were disqualified in the heats at Rio after having received the baton before the exchange zone. The women's team finished 7th in heats. “They (the relay teams) have achieved Olympic standards and the AFI expects the teams to improve their standards in the future,” the source said. “We are happy with Artsybashev as some of the walkers did well,” the source added. Javelin coach Calvert, who mentored world junior javelin champion Neeraj Chopra, is also in contention for an extension.
However, the source has also revealed that the foreign coaches will not be handed long-term contracts. “From now on, it will be for one year,” he said.
