Triple-gold medalist Jinson Johnson hopes to clock his best timing at Rio
Name: Jinson Johnson
Sport: 800-metre race
Achievements:
- 2015 Senior Federation Cup Athletics Championship - 800 and 1500 metres (race) – Gold
- 2015 Asian Athletics Championships – 800 metres (race) – Silver
- 2015 Asian Athletics Grand Prix – 800 metres (race) – Gold
- 2016 National Athletics Meet– 800 and 1500 metres (race) – Gold
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Winning a ticket to Rio was a redemption of sorts for Jinson Johnson, the 25-year-old half-miler from Kerala, who narrowly missed the first qualifier. But the soldier athlete made it into the Olympics by achieving a dream finish in the 800 metres at1:45:98 seconds on 12 July.
Son of construction workers Johnson and Shailaja of Chakkittappara village in Kozhikode, the rising athlete was initiated into sports at the academy run by KM Peter in his home village, where he was trained until the age of 15. His bragging rights in athletics till 2007 was winning third place at a regional school meet.
When he was studying at St George HSS, Kulathuvayal, Peter Karimbankuzhy, a former Bank Secretary, discovered the talent in the young athlete and stoked the flame to ignite Johnson's athletics career. With a disciplined training for more than a year, Johnson was able to set the wheels in motion; he won medals in the 800 metres at National Junior Sports Championship at Vijayawada in 2007 and 1500 metres at the National School Meet in Kolkata.
After finishing school, Johnson joined the Kerala State Sports Council where he was trained by George Emmanuel. But his stint at the Sport's Council was cut short after he got selected at the Army Sports Institute, Pune in 2009.
At Pune, he received training under the Services and National Athletics coach Mohammed Kunhi. Under his care, Johnson made a breakthrough at the Federation Cup held in Mangalore and won gold in both 800 metres and 1500 metres and set his personal best of 1:47.58. This earned him a berth to the Asian Athletics Championship at Wuhan, China where he bagged a silver medal.
He emerged as a star athlete with a golden hat-trick at the Asian Athletics Grand Prix Games in Thailand last year. His medal hunt continued at the National Athletics Meet, where he won two gold medals in 800 metres and 1,500 metres.
After failing in his first qualifier to Rio, Johnson made a brave comeback by clocking 1:45.98 seconds, the second best timing by an Indian in the 800-meter race in Olympics. (Sreeram Singh had clocked 1:45:86 seconds in 800 m. at the 1976 Montreal Olympics)
Johnson hopes to improve his timing at Rio. "Timing has got better throughout last three competitions. I hope to improve it further through speed work in the coming days," he told 'Asianet News' after qualifying for the games.
