India will go into the 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games with their largest contingent ever.
The hosts will flout a 55-member squad in track and field events
PUNE: India will go into the 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games with their largest contingent ever.
But Indian coach Suresh Babu believes that they will only manage to win 8-10 medals overall. Although, Babu hopes that the games will give the young athletes international exposure.
“We are a 55-member team and we could win eight to ten medals over all,” says coach Suresh Babu while talking to DNA on the side lines of the practice track in Balewadi on Thursday.
India had won eight medals at Bendigo, Australia in the last edition of the Games — two gold, three silvers and one bronze.
This 55-member squad is looking to maintain the same number of medals in Pune as well. Incidentally, India is the last team to announce their list to the organising committee.
Suresh Babu pins his medal hopes on the boys 4x400 metres, and is sure that MR Poovamma will run away with the women’s 400 meters gold.
“It has been over three weeks, these athletes have been working at the Balewadi sports complex, and the possible medals are only few (ten). But, this is a young side and it will be a great exposure for them, which is more important, and if we win more than what I have said, it will be a bonus,” said Suresh Babu.
Going by the performance graph, Indian women’s 400meters hopes rely on MR Poovamma and Mariam Jose. While for the boys, Ankit Sharma (long jump), Dheeraj Mishra (triple jumper), Jasdeep Singh (shot put), Ejaj Ahmad (hammer throw) and Arjun Kumar in the discuss throw look like medal hopefuls.
RS Sindhu, the Sports Authority of India coach specialised in 400 meters and coaches both the seniors and juniors, feels Mariam Jose, Chinchu Jose and Arya C could spring surprises.
Australia looks the more formidable side with Canada and Kenya being the other strong contenders in the track and field events.
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