A leap of recognition for Aldrin
Standing at the top of his mark at the world championships in Eugene last year, Jeswin Aldrin was fighting the thought of whether he belonged to the stage. He had done enough to be competing among the best in the world, yet making a debut at the major event is never easy. Thinking of a podium finish needs a completely different mindset, he soon realised.
Murali Sreeshankar was battling similar demons in his first world championships in 2019. So intimidated was the 20-year-old seeing the world and Olympic champions around the jumping pit that he was far short from his then personal best of 8.15m.
But it was a learning curve. In the next couple of seasons, Sreeshankar’s attempt was to get out of his comfort zone and find ways to adapt to different weather conditions, food and culture around the world. He competed in more international events, changed to a continental diet even during his stay in India, and picked the brains of international jumpers. Last year he had a training stint with Olympic champion Miltos Tentoglou of Greece and immensely benefited. The results showed as he won his first major medal in an international – silver at the Commonwealth Games with a leap of 8.08m.
After last year’s turbulent season where he was striving to be consistent in the international circuit, Aldrin is on a similar path this season. He is figuring out what he needs to do to translate his success at domestic level to major international meets.
He sure has started with a bang. The athletics world watched in admiration as he cleared a world leading 8.42m for this season at the Indian Open Throws and Jumps competition at the Inspire Institute of Sport in Ballari last week.
Just to give perspective on how big a jump it was – Aldrin is only the fifth long jumper in the world to go past 8.40m in the last three seasons. Even the Tokyo Olympics and Eugene world championships gold winner went under 8.42m. That said, Aldrin knows that to come closer to this feat in international meets would require more effort.
“I am happy but I am not satisfied. For me the goal this year is to be consistent in international events – get jumps of 8.30m. I want to focus on getting the big jumps outside India -- world championships and Asian Games,” says Aldrin.
Sreeshankar understands where that is coming from. Despite consistent jumps of 8.20m and a personal best of 8.36m last season, he was still finding it difficult to get an invitation from premier events like Diamond League meets.
“If you believe that we will go out there and smash the world and Olympic championships from our first international meet, it cannot happen. From improving your technique to adjusting to conditions, track, weather, food – everything must be factored in – and that can only happen when you are competing in international events regularly. You become familiar with the environment. World’s top athletes are competing in all Diamond League and major events,” says Sreeshankar.
“Even to get into DL the world ranking should be very good. Initially, the organisers were reluctant in giving me entries despite some big jumps because my performance was coming in India. I was kept in waiting. Only when I got a good jump in Greece last year that I was considered,” he says.
Sreeshankar believes Aldrin’s 8.42m would further open the door to the international world for Indian athletes.
"If you look at Neeraj (Neeraj Chopra) bhaiya, it has taken him five-six seasons of consistent performances in international events to make it big. Aldrin’s jump is very big, and he will be getting into international meets. When I jumped 8.20, there was no one around. Then suddenly Jeswin had 8.20m and we had a healthy competition going. We have great talent in technical events. The only thing required is proper training and mindset and to compete with a lot of good athletes.”
The performances of Indian athletes were noticed last year and Aldrin and Sreeshankar have signed professional contracts with a world leading apparel brand. “It helps because now they will also push for our entries at global level,” explains Sreeshankar.
It has also helped that they are getting quality training at home and away, besides the exposure trips organised by the Athletics Federation of India.
Aldrin is currently training under two- time world championships medallist from Cuba, coach Yoandri Betanzos at the IIS. Before that he had a three year stint with French coach Antony Yaich.
“My first coach built a strong base. He brought me to IIS and changed my technique. My present coach, he focussed on improving my speed and strength. We will work more on technique in the air and my running approach. But he tells me to enjoy myself and not to take too much pressure, only then I will be able to bring the performance of my training into competition,” says Aldrin.
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