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Long-jumper Sreeshankar resumes training, redraws plan
After the Union sports ministry came out with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to resume sporting activities, the local medical college has opened its sports facilities for the national champion. Sreeshankar can now train outside the national camp with his father S Murali, a former international triple jumper.
Aim for a good take-off and soar beyond 8.22m. That was the plan.
With that in mind, long-jumper Murali Sreeshankar left Palakkad for Patiala on March 16. Getting to that coveted mark would have sealed a ticket to Tokyo for Sreeshankar, 21. But Covid-19 led to the two legs of the Indian Grands Prix in Patiala, the Olympics and all sport being put on hold.
“I was all prepared for a big jump. Instead, it turned out to be a big disappointment,” said Sreeshankar, who holds the national record of 8.20m, set in Bhubaneswar in 2018. “The only consolation: I could reach home on March 20 before the nationwide lockdown. But as precautionary measure, I opted for 14 days’ self-quarantine,” said the third year science student.
Sreeshankar has now revised his plan. “The emphasis (now) is more on strength and mobility since there will be no competition in next four-five months,” he said, over the phone from Palakkad in Kerala.
After the Union sports ministry came out with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to resume sporting activities, the local medical college has opened its sports facilities for the national champion. Sreeshankar can now train outside the national camp with his father S Murali, a former international triple jumper.
“It felt good when I stepped on the track for the first time in two months. I could feel the spring in my strides but took it easy,” said Sreeshankar. “I’m lucky to have the facilities opened for me; I can train in isolation. It is just 1.5km from my house.”
Big challenge
The international athlete says coping with uncertainty due to coronavirus is a big challenge. “There is no domestic competition. The international calendar is in jeopardy. And with Covid-19 cases spiking, it is scary to think of travelling from one city to another for competition when domestic events start mid-September.”
Since Sreeshankar had invested in barbells and weights last season, he could stay fit during the lockdown. “I have incorporated long weight training sessions ranging from two to three hours, thrice a week in the altered schedule. The drills include squats and deadlifts. The focus during 90 minutes’ training session in the morning is on general fitness including mobility exercises. All the hard work should help me perform consistently on the outdoor circuit,” he said.
After setting national record in October 2018, 2019 didn’t go well for Sreeshankar. An injury on the left (take-off) leg (left) in February robbed him of vital training sessions. Even though he recovered by April, chances of producing another big leap diminished, said Sreeshankar.
At the 2019 World Championships in Doha, his best of 7.62m fetched him a disappointing 22nd place in the preliminary round. Sreeshankar attributed it to the combination of a change in training regimen and failing to cope with the pressure of a marquee event.
“Firstly, Volker Herrmann (high performance director with Athletics Federation of India) made some changes in training. The emphasis was more on strength and I wasn’t able to adapt to the new system. Secondly, I was also nervous during the competition and couldn’t get into a good rhythm,” he said.
That phase is over, said Sreeshankar, adding that it has been a lesson well learnt. “I’m home and training under my father,” he said. Asked what kept him going during the months of confinement, he said: “Lifting barbells in my backyard. It has boosted my confidence.”
