New Delhi, July 14: India’s top 400m runners believe the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will offer sterner competition than the Asian Games later this year, making it an ideal proving ground ahead of the continental showpiece.
The scaled-down Commonwealth Games begins on July 23, nearly two months before the Asian Games, and India will field a 32-member athletics squad.
Vishal Thennarasu Kayalvizhi, who will be competing in the men’s 400m and mixed 4x400m relay at the CWG, said the quality of competition in Glasgow, particularly with athletes from Australia and England in the fray, would push Indian runners to raise their standards.
“Commonwealth Games is hard, it’s tough if we don’t work. I won’t say it’s impossible, I will say it is possible (to win a medal) if we work out well. Nothing is easy, whether it is Asian Games or Commonwealth Games since these are big competitions,” Vishal told SAI Media before leaving for a government-sponsored international training camp in Spala, Poland.
The 22-year-old is part of a 60-member contingent, including 41 athletes and 19 coaches plus support staff, travelling to Poland.
Vishal said his immediate target in Glasgow would be to improve on his personal best timings in both events.
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)-backed athlete created a national record of 44.98 seconds in 400m during the Federation Cup in Ranchi last month and clocked a personal best of 03:00.32s in 4x400m men’s relay at the World Relays in Gaborone, Botswana in May.
His personal best in 4x400m mixed relay is 03:14.81s clocked at the World Relays in China last year. Vishal said that he will target a personal best in both his races at the Commonwealth Games.
Another national camper, Jay Kumar, agreed that Glasgow would be the tougher assignment, even though the Asian Games remain his primary target this season. (PTI)
