Last Updated: October 17, 2022, 23:43 IST
AFI president Adille Sumariwalla (AFI Image)
Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla said that their plan for coming 10 years is to ‘give top class coaching to the junior athletes so that they can excel in the senior level after a few years’
Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla on Monday said that his organisation is focussed on providing world-class coaching to junior athletes in the next 10 years though it’s not easy to get top coaches to the country.
India topped the medals table in the Asian Youth Athletics Championships which concluded on Sunday in Kuwait City with 24 medals (six gold, 11 silver and seven bronze).
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Amit Chaudhary (boys’ 1500m), Akash Yadav (boys’ shot put), Ashakiran Barla (girls’ 800m), and Atul (boys’ discus throw) won gold medals in individual events while India came first in girls’ and boys’ medley relay races.
“The planning of the last 10 years is bearing fruit and we have done exceedingly well in the recent years. Now our planning is for the next 10 years,” Sumariwalla said in a virtual interaction.
“In the coming 10 years’ plan, we want to give top class coaching to the junior athletes so that they can excel in the senior level after a few years. But, it is difficult to bring in top coaches in the country.
“Most of these coaches want to come in India, spend some time and go back to their home. They don’t want to spend the entire year. But we cannot do that. We need coaches who can spend time in the country for long with the athletes, in the long term. But we will do it and achieve our goal.” He said negotiations are on with some coaches but refused to divulge the details.
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