Debunking the value of medals in athletics at Asian Games
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Athletics is one of that disciplines, which has shown a lot of promise in the last few decades but somehow the performances have ceased to impress beyond the continental level. Every Olympic cycle, there are athletes who create new records, but the bridge from the best seems to exist.
In the last week of September this year, China will play host to the 19th Asian Games and India is limbering up to send a contingent of 400-odd athletes. Athletics alone constitutes over 80 players, with a major chunk qualifying at the recently concluded National Inter-state Athletics Championship in Bhubaneswar, with some of them creating new national records, bettering their own marks, and a few delivering personal bests for the season.
While great in India, it would be folly to consider most of these performances at par with the world level, which in actuality are barely enough to make the athletes qualify for the Asiad. This is not to diss their performances without any basis, but in the larger context, it's an effort, backed by numbers, to show where some of the top Indian athletes stand internationally and what they might or might not end up achieving by the end of the 2024 season.
A lot of times, medals in these lesser competitive events, where a few records are broken, are taken as a positive sign of things to come in the global ones, but often end in disappointment. If treated with more importance than it actually deserves, it could well be a repeat of the same old story, where medals come in dozens at the Asian Games, but don't translate into performance at the World Championships, Diamond League, and the Olympics. Once again, the idea is to put things in perspective and be realistic about expectations from track & field events.
What Happened at 2018 Asian Games and Thereafter
India took home 20 medals, out of which eight were golds, a record better than that of Japan, Qatar, Kazakhstan, and South Korea. But out of those medalists for the country, 12 of them could not even make the cut for the Olympics in 2020. And the ones who did go to Tokyo, were not good enough when it mattered the most, barring Neeraj Chopra, who brought India's first gold from track & field.
Take a look at Jinson Johnson for now, who has once again qualified for the Asian Games, had won a gold in the 1500m last edition but hasn't shown the confidence to be a world beater. Even his medal then came at a time nine seconds slower than his personal best. One wonders if he can do it in the future as well.
Dutee Chand, a national record holder in women's 100m, who won two silver medals in 2018, has failed to live up to the expectations, mostly due to mediocre performances. In the last five years, she has hardly won any competitions globally and is as good as retired, announcing she won't participate in any competition post-Paris Olympics -- that too if she manages to qualify.
Then there is Hima Das, a former junior world champion, who had raised hopes back home when she won a silver medal in women's 400m at the last Asiad. Since then, injuries have taken over, she has left her pet event and is focussing on the 100m and 200m events instead. Despite that, she will be out of the race for this Asian Games due to a hamstring injury.
Also on the list is the national record holder in the shot put, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who with a distance of 20.75m had created a new games record five years back. When it came to the Olympics, he finished a lowly 24th, and could only throw the iron ball 19.99m. Now, at the Senior Nationals though, he bettered his own record which stands at 21.77m, but it remains to be seen if he can replicate this performance in World Championships and the Olympics.
While no one can take away from these athletes, the laurels they have brought to the country, it certainly is not enough when they are capable of more. Instead of raising false hopes from them on the basis of their performance domestically, and in the continent, it becomes imperative to monitor their performances globally.
— SportsCafe (@IndiaSportscafe) June 22, 2023
Where Indians Stand in World
It would be unfair to not talk about Chopra here, as he is truly the torch-bearer in Indian athletics and one of those who has consistently been a world leader for years now. This year is no different as he has the second-best throw this year (88.67m) among all competitors worldwide, only surpassed by Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic. Noteworthily, DP Manu is in the top 10 as well with a best of 84.33m. In all fairness, these two are the ones who could perhaps go on to win global medals.
Another much-talked-about athlete is 3000m steeplechase specialist, Avinash Sable. The CWG silver medalist has proved time and again that he can take on the lanky boys from Kenya and Ethiopia. This year with a timing of 8:17.18s, he lies in the 21st spot. He has regularly spoken about delivering a sub-8-minute race, which hopefully is around the corner. So he perhaps is there and thereabouts.
Earlier in March, long jumper Jeswin Aldrin had leaped 8.42m in Bellary, to create a new national record. Since then he has gone quiet but is still the world leader this year. He only managed to qualify for the Asian Games with a jump of 7.83m only. On the other hand, Murali Sresankar jumped 8.41m at the Nationals, to be second on the list. This is another event where big things can be expected in the future.
In the triple jump, Praveen Chitravel is fourth in the world at the moment with a best of 17.37m. CWG gold medalist Eldhose Paul is nowhere close to this mark, with his personal best standing at 17.03m. Chitravel, if remains consistent, might just do it for India. Then in the women's section, we have Shaili Singh, who is touted as the next big thing in women's long jump. She is the 19th best this year with a jump of 6.76m, while her contemporary, USA's Alyssa Jones is in eighth position with a jump of 6.86m.
Jyothi Yarraji, who has a knack of bettering her own national record in the women's 100m hurdles is in a lowly 36th position for world leaders this year. She has a best of 12.84s, while the best in the world, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico sits on a time of 12.31s.
— SportsCafe (@IndiaSportscafe) June 22, 2023
But somehow these players instill the confidence that they could actually go on to achieve the kind of success they aspire for. Beyond this, to even think that someone could miraculously win medals for India at the Olympics or the World Championship, is a waste of time, even if they win at the Asian Games. These Games, despite the presence of China and Japan, aren't a fair indicator of where our athletes stand. So next year, when the Asiad is over, the hangover of the victories achieved then should be over too. It would be the time to dream big and not be satisfied with the results produced in 2023.