Jumps coach aims to fly higher

Bedros Bedrosian, the India jumps coach, says that the athletes need a qualified psychologist during training sessions ahead of events like CWG.

Bedros Bedrosian said the Indian athletes need a qualified psychologist during training sessions ahead of events like CWG.

 

India’s jumps coach Bedros Bedrosian of Romania is of the opinion that athletes need a qualified psychologist during training sessions prior to big events. “Many don’t have enough confidence, and moreover an athlete like Ankit Sharma is a charged-up guy, sometimes he will not sleep during the night (thinking of his jumps). Now with jumps (long & triple), 400m and javelin throw being considered priority events for the 2018 Commonwealth Games (CWG), a psychologist (during preparations) will be of great help,” the 63-year-old told Sportstar here on Tuesday.

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Bedros felt it would be tough for long jumper Sharma and triple jumper Arpinder Singh to win a gold medal in the forthcoming CWG, and picked out women long jumpers, Nayna James and Neena as bright gold medal prospects. “In men's long jump, there are quite a few South African jumpers, like Luvo Manyonga and Ruswahl Samaa, who are world-class, and in triple jump too, the competition will be tough, but I think Arpinder will do well,” said Bedros.

Bedros said the 25-year-old Ankit puts undue pressure on himself during competitions and implied that as a reason for his downfall, but expressed confidence that he will come back stronger in CWG and Asian Games.

As a coach who has trained Saudi Arabian National team including Asian champions Hussein Taher Al-Sabee and Mohammed Al-Khuwalidi and other countries such as Qatar, Puerto Rico, Dominician Republic, and Colombia --

Bedros is highly regarded in coaching circles. Former National triple jump champion Nizamuddin said the Romanian can change the face of jumps in India.

“I expect jumpers to be more consistent from now on. I am sure in jumps we can expect medals in CWG and Asian Games,” he said.

His contract with the Sports Authority of India ends after 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but Bedros is keen to continue for another term. “I like India, its people, its athletes. There has been no disciplinary problems in the National camp (Thiruvananthapuram). My only problem is to prevent the jumpers from over-training!,” he said.

India, he said, is different from his country, Romania, in climate and cleanliness, but clarified by saying, “Romania is not Singapore, but they don’t throw garbage on the streets.”