This story is from August 23, 2019

Rejuvenated Arpinder Singh eyes 17m mark in Lucknow

Triple-jumper Arpinder Singh is one of the most curious cases of Indian athletics. He is one of the finest examples of how the future of a gifted athlete can go wayward, if not groomed properly.
Rejuvenated Arpinder Singh eyes 17m mark in Lucknow
Arpinder Singh (TOI Photo)
CHANDIGARH: Triple-jumper Arpinder Singh is one of the most curious cases of Indian athletics. He is one of the finest examples of how the future of a gifted athlete can go wayward, if not groomed properly.
Arpinder, 26, who became the first Indian in 48 years to win a gold in the triple jump event at the Jakarta Asain games last year has been left in the lurch by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), several times.

After his Asiad gold, Arpinder went to Chula Vista Elite Athletic Training Centre in US to train under Jeremy Fischer under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). But he has been called back by SAI in March to participate in the Federation Cup in Patiala, where he could only manage a 16.34m.
"My performance in the Federation Cup was bad. I wanted to go back to the Chula Vista immediately, in March itself. I spent two months at NIS, Patiala, but the approval never came," Arpinder told TOI from Inspire Institute of Sports, Vijay Nagar, where he is training under Antony Yaich.
"In Patiala, there was neither a coach nor a training partner. So it was getting difficult for me. I have realised that I was wasting too much time in Patiala waiting for the approval, then I decided to come to IIS in Vijay Nagar" he added.
With the World Championships to be held next month and the Olympics less than a year, Asian Games gold medallist is thankful that he finally has some clarity going into these mega events.

"Start and stop has been the story of my life. But it has been a good three months for me under Yaich. He is a good coach, explains everything," he said.
The jumper is currently focusing on the World Athletics Championship, which is scheduled to be held in Doha from September 28 to October 6.
"I hope to get the qualifying mark (16.95m) for the Worlds in the inter-State competitions to be held in Lucknow, next week."
When asked if he would love to return to the Chula Vista when the approval comes,he replied: "I doubt now they will send me and even if the approval comes to train under Fischer again after the Worlds, I would like to continue my training with Yaich. There is no point going back there."
"The good thing about Yaich is that he understands that there are only a few months left for the Olympics. If we change everything, my performance will be affected. Going by my history we all know what changing my technique has done to me," he said.
Arpinder, who has a personal best of 17.17m, had finished fifth in the 2014 Asian Games.
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