‘Sreeshankar and I are being singled out for criticism … but ready to collaborate with experienced coach’

With the AFI scouting for international coaches for the following Olympic cycle in occasions with Indian medal prospects, together with the lengthy leap, the father-son affiliation is about to be disbanded. The federation has labelled Murali’s teaching strategies as ‘not professional’ and ‘not scientific’, making clear the private coach can be changed by a nationwide coach for jumps.
Murali believes he and his son, the nationwide report holder, are being singled out for criticism regardless of the latter not being the one Indian athlete lacking the ultimate on the Tokyo Olympics.
“The AFI’s criticism of Sreeshankar’s training programme not being professional is unjustified and it hurts to hear such things. He jumped 8.26 metres and set a new national record this year. He is the country’s best prospect for a medal (in long jump) at a major competition. I agree he could not perform up to expectations at the Olympics but there are other reasons for that,” Murali instructed The Indian Express.
“To perform with deteriorating health was a tough challenge for him. When an athlete does not do well, the athlete does not suddenly become a bad athlete from a national record holder. In such times, the least we can expect is support from the federation.”
In black and white
AFI president Adille Sumariwalla mentioned on Monday that coach Murali had given it in writing that he would cease teaching Sreeshankar if he didn’t cross 8 metres on the Tokyo Games. The written enterprise was given after Sreeshankar appeared for trials within the third week of July simply earlier than travelling to the Japanese capital.
Sreeshankar jumped 7.48 metres on the trials, which was beneath his private greatest and nationwide report of 8.26 metres set on the Federation Cup in March. At the Olympics, he completed twenty fourth general with 7.69 metres and didn’t progress to the ultimate. Sreeshankar coaching together with his father, a former triple jumper, has been a longstanding situation for the AFI, which desires him to maneuver out of his coaching base in Palghat, Kerala.
Sreeshankar is 22 years outdated.
Sumariwalla, when requested about Sreeshankar, mentioned the federation had determined to step in.
“The federation’s stand was very clear even before he went. As far as we were concerned, we were not happy with his training programme and coach… it is not professional, it is not scientific. His coach, that is his father, has given in writing that if he does not perform, he will stop coaching him. If he does not jump over eight metres, he will stop coaching him, and he will listen to us and we will get him another coach, a foreign coach or whatever. So, the first action has already been taken, we have changed his coach,” Sumariwalla mentioned.

It is learnt that within the enterprise, Murali didn’t write that he would cease teaching Sreeshankar however assured the AFI that the lengthy jumper would contact 8 metres. Despite the setback on the Olympics, Murali believes the athlete can fulfil his potential if the AFI works in tandem with the father-son workforce. Murali shouldn’t be averse to an skilled coach becoming a member of Sreeshankar’s workforce, however provided that there may be worth addition.

“I feel Sreeshankar and I are being singled out for criticism. We are ready to work with the federation, but the AFI must also understand that appointing a foreign coach for the sake of it may not be in the best interest of the athlete. Collaboration, rather than criticism, is the need of the hour. I have never forced him to work under me since he broke the national record for the first time. He is an intelligent kid and understands a lot about the training principles, techniques and knows his body well. He is not just into long jump but does a good deal of learning about it too. He still has faith in my training programme and we are always open to new ideas and ready to collaborate with experienced coaches,” Murali added.
Undergoing rehab
Sreeshankar is on the Inspire Institute of Sport, Vijayanagar, the place he’s present process a four-week rehabilitation programme. He blames the side-effects of the Covid-19 vaccine for not crossing 8 metres on the Olympics.“I had some health issues after vaccination. Due to bad health and weakness, I developed some muscle imbalance. We were running short of time to correct it also. I will get back to training by the first or second week of October,” Sreeshankar says.
He took the primary dose within the first week of May and the second a month later. After getting absolutely vaccinated, he participated within the Indian Grand Prix, the place he jumped 7.74 metres.
Sreeshankar is present process three periods as a part of his rehabilitation. The first session, geared toward conditioning, begins at 8:30 am and continues until 11 am. This is adopted by two periods with the physio, the primary from 11.30 am and the second starting at 4:30 pm.
M Sreeshankar in motion throughout Tokyo 2020. (FILE)
“After vaccination my body was very weak, so when I tried to push myself harder in the training sessions, it didn’t work. I also missed a lot of training sessions because of my health. I was getting tired very fast after taking the first dose of the vaccine. We did blood tests and based on the advice of a doctor, I had regulated my diet and was getting better,” the lengthy jumper says.

However, Sreeshankar suffered ‘gastro issues’ when he was on the camp in Patiala and Bengaluru. “I have sorted out the issues with my stomach now with probiotic treatment. Frequency of the issue is now comparatively very low. My gut health is better now.”
Sreeshankar is now specializing in passing two totally different sorts of exams. One is fitness-related, the opposite B.Sc. Mathematics. He has to check two semesters price of syllabus and seem for an examination in 10 days. “It is about crossing these small hurdles and coming back stronger. I will bounce back soon.”