Tokyo 2020: Arpinder Singh confident of making Olympics cut

Arpinder Singh feels ‘more content and secure’ after going back to train under Jaikumar, who mentored him to gold at the 2018 Asian Games.

Published : Feb 27, 2020 22:23 IST , Chennai

Arpinder Singh has had a rough ride since winning the 2018 Asian Games gold.
Arpinder Singh has had a rough ride since winning the 2018 Asian Games gold.
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Arpinder Singh has had a rough ride since winning the 2018 Asian Games gold.

Arpinder Singh has been one of the torch-bearers of Indian men’s triple jump for quite a while. However, of late, he has had a rough ride, especially after the 2018 Asian Games gold medal triumph in Jakarta.

With different [foreign] coaches suggesting different techniques, Arpinder hasn’t been able to find the right mix. Now he has gone back to Jaikumar, who helped him win the gold in Jakarta. The 27-year-old is happy with the way he is training in Thiruvananthapuram under the watchful eyes of Jaikumar.

Arpinder said: “The last one year [2019-till now] has not been very bad. It’s OK, I’ll say. With the American coach Jeremy Fischer, I was not totally happy with the jump and run-up, though it was good in its own way.

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“And under Antony Yaich (France) at Inspire Institute of Sports in Vijayanagar (Karnataka), he focused more on speed which was in a way good. But I am more content and secure with Jaikumar sir,” said ONGC’s Arpinder, after the PSPB inter-unit athletics tournament on Thursday.

The qualifying mark for Tokyo Olympics is 17.14m, but Arpinder hasn’t touched 17m since 2014, his personal best last season being the 16.83m recorded in the Inter-State meet in Lucknow in August 2019. But he is confident of making the grade.

“I am training well in Thiruvananthapuram where my wide-arm action during run-up is being rectified by Jaikumar sir. I am looking forward to do well in the Federation Cup in Patiala from April 10 to 13 and qualify for Olympics.

“There are lot of other domestic events to qualify and I am also expecting Athletics Federation of India to send me for meets abroad. It is not difficult [to qualify]. Once I make the grade, I will target the top 6,” he said.

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