Six foreign coaches added to boost India chances in athletics at Paris 2024

01/07/2022

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The SAI has confirmed the appointment of six additional foreign coaches for India's track and field athletes in a shorter Olympics cycle, boosting the country's preparation for Paris 2024. The move was made to speed up India's growth and improve on its best-ever medal total at the Tokyo Olympics.

As per a report in the New Indian Express, Steffen Reumann, a biomechanics expert from Germany, is anticipated to be hired as the new coach for rotational throwers like Kamalpreet Kaur and Tejinderpal Pal Singh Toor.

Kamalpreet Kaur, a discus thrower, performed admirably at the Tokyo Olympics. The 25-year-old from Punjab finished second in qualification and sixth in the final. Apart from Tokyo gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, former world champion Kimmo Kinnunen of Finland will coach the javelin throwers. In the national camp, Kimmo Kinnunen will work with players like Rohit Yadav, Sahil Silwal, and Yashvir Singh.

Former javelin coach Uwe Hohn will hand up the reins to Kimmo Kinnunen.

Dr. Klaus Bartonietz, whose contract was recently renewed until 2024, will continue to train Neeraj Chopra. Neeraj Chopra and Dr. Bartonietz, who tutored the Indian ace to triumph in Tokyo, are currently training in the United States for the gruelling 2022 season.

Tatiana Sibileva, a former Olympian from Russia, has been named the new coach for race walking. Her first task would be to train Indian race walkers for the Asian Games, which are coming up soon.

Long jumpers are likely to be coached by Juan Gualberto Napoles Cardenas of Cuba.

Josef Lisowski, who is associated with the success of Polish runners, will try to speed up the improvement of Indian sprinters and relay runners now working with Galina Bukharina.

After the Asian Games, Lisowski is expected to take over as India's sprints and relays coach from Bukharina. Scott Simmons will be the coach for men's steeplechase runner Avinash Sable and other middle and long-distance runners.

117 Indian track and field athletes are now training for the next Commonwealth and Asian Games at the senior national athletics camp.