Quarter-miler M.R. Poovamma is not losing sleep over her Olympic qualification, despite the Rio Games being just three months away. The 400m Asian Games bronze medallist believes she still has time to attain her peak and make the cut for the Games.
Poovamma, the country’s best over 400m, could only manage 52.60s (Federation Cup) and 52.67s (2nd Indian Grand Prix), .40s more than the Olympic qualifying mark that stands at 52.20.
The Mangalore athlete’s personal best of 51.75secs came in an inter-state meet in Lucknow three years back. But she hasn’t maintained that timing since then with a back problemthat started before the 2012 London Games troubling her every now and then.
Part of the first group of athletes heading for a training-cum-competition stint in Poland on Monday, Poovamma said she was aiming to peak while at Spala. “I am training well. And I am confident of making the Olympics cut and reaching the finals. My aim is to keep improving — run sub 51secs — while in Spala. There is no point peaking early in the season, as we won’t be able to maintain that form till the Games,” said the 25-year-old, who bagged silver and gold at the Federation Cup and 2nd Indian GP, respectively.
Poovamma, the Asiad gold medallist in 4x400m realy, said the London Games setback still haunted her at times. “It was very disappointing. I was training pretty well but suffered a back injury which left me bed-ridden for months. Returning after three months, I could not regain my form and missed out. So this time, it’s very important for me to qualify and reach the finals. I am ready to give my best shot.”
She also felt that the exposure at Spala would help athletes train better, with the facilities, diet and air (pollution-free) much better than in India.
“Most of the athletes fell sick after competing at the Federation Cup. The food and facilities were not up to the mark. Even the air we are breathing is full of dust. For runners, it is crucial to breathe fresh air in order to improve performance,” said Poovamma.
Athletes set to leave for Spala Spala will be training base for 38 Indian athletes for the next 12 weeks, Athletics Federation of India C.K. Valson said here on Saturday.
The squad, comprising 400m (also 400m hurdles, 4x400m relay teams) and javelin prospects, will train alongside Polish teams at Spala’s Olympics Training Center, besides participating in several tournaments — including the IAAF World Challenge in Beijing, Taiwan Open Championships among others.
Initially, 25 athletes along with support staff, including Yuri Ogorodinik, will leave for Poland on Monday. Thirteen race walkers, participating in the recent IAAF Race Walk Team Championships in Rome, will join them from Italy. “It is for the first time we are sending a big contingent of athletes to train in Spala,” Valson said.
“We can expect a medal from the walkers, while women’s 4x400m relay team (ranked 17th) should also make it to the finals — with Russia being banned.”
“We haven’t heard from discus thrower Vikas Gowda for a while now, but he could spring a surprise.” Valson said of India’s medal hopes at the Games.
