Surrender to Arpinder Singh

Arpinder Singh is the hottest property in Indian athletics. A bronze in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games has only fuelled the triple jumper's desire to do well in the Asian Games.

But unlike Glasgow, where he produced an impressive 16.63-metre leap even after his coach, SS Pannu, was not allowed to accompany him, Singh hopes to win big here.

The Amritsar-based athlete is a strong contender for the gold medal here. And none other than chef de mission and former India sprinter Adille J Sumariwalla is ready to put all his money on Singh. "He is our best hope here. No less than gold will do from Arpinder," he had told dna couple of days ago.

According to Singh, the Glasgow chill made things difficult for. But the weather in Incheon is pleasant and should help Singh's cause. That apart, he can turn to his trusted coach during competition.

"My training has gone very well here," Singh told dna on Wednesday, adding: "I'd been having some problems with my run-up, and I'd had committed some fouls in Glasgow. I've been working with my coach and I'm confident that I'll perform well here."

Singh's event is full of technicalities. His 47-metre run-up before the final launch is replete with a hop, skip and jump.

Pannu noticed some problem with his ward's run-up during the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Lucknow in June and rectified it then and there. Instead of a 47-metre run-up, Singh was running in from two meters short.

The result was there for all to see as Singh set a national record with a 17.17-metre jump. He also defeated previous record-holder Renjith Maheshwary by a stunning margin of 63 centimetres.

After the Glasgow hiatus, Pannu is with him here, and the two are confident that they'd be going for nothing less than the gold.

"I set the national record in June, and then got the bronze in Glasgow despite the tough conditions," he said. "It had rained and it was cold, and I was without my coach. Immediately after that, at the Federation Cup, I jumped 16.70 metres."

Singh added that he's been targeting the gold at Incheon for some time now. "I hope to do well here. I hope that my work on my technique would help me avoid fouls and get me the gold medal," the Amritsar lad said.

Coach Pannu also expressed his confidence over his ward's preparations. "Everything has been very good over the last few days. I'm sure that we'd get gold," Pannu said.

Singh event will take place on October 1 and the final will be on the next day.