Jinson Johnson confident of qualifying for Tokyo 2020
The Kerala athlete had managed to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in the 800m event but was unable to reach the semi-finals.
India’s ace middle-distance (1500m) runner Jinson Johnson is confident about his chances of making it to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, as he gears up for a challenging campaign after returning from an injury.
The 2018 Asian Games gold medallist injured his Achilles heel tendon when training in December at a high-altitude training base in Colorado Springs. However, what seemed a big jolt to his Olympic chances at that time was soon left behind as Jinson Jonson returned India to begin rehab at Mumbai’s HN Reliance Foundation hospital.
With his personal best (3:35.34s) not far from the Olympic qualification cut-off timing of 3:35.00s for the 1500m event, the Kerala sprinter is now confident of punching his ticket to Tokyo.
“I know I am tad short of the mark, but I am confident of qualifying for the games,” Jinson Johnson told Sportstar.
“Athletics is all about fitness and in middle-distance I know how to pace my race. I am training hard and SAI is taking care of us really well with excellent facilities.
“I am confident of qualifying and just hope this pandemic ends soon and life returns to normalcy and the Games happen," added Jinson Johnson, who had qualified for the 2016 Olympics in the 800m event but was unable to reach the semi-finals.
Uncertainty looms large
However, while Jinson Johnson has seen a timely recovery from his injury his Olympic qualification events have now been indefinitely postponed owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
Amongst the recent ones to get cancelled was the Indian Grand Prix while the Federation Cup is likely to be scheduled later. Numerous athletes have been struggling to train while staying in isolation and Jinson Johnson’s case is no different.
"I am hopeful of participating in invitational tournaments and qualify from there. Middle-distance running is all about timing and I have done well abroad,” he pointed out. “Last year I participated in the Next Gen Athletics meet in the Netherlands and also in the IWF World Challenge in Berlin. I just hope the situation improves."
What next for Jinson Johnson
With most Olympic qualification events cancelled until April end, 28-year-old Jinson Johnson will be looking to participate in the European meets next, which are scheduled to take place from May to June given the outbreak is contained by then.
On the off chance of international meets getting cancelled as well, Jinson Johnson could still hope for qualification through the rankings, although that is a tricky route.
The 58th ranked middle-distance runner would need to compete in many events to improve his place in the IAAF world rankings in order to meet the available 45 slots before the cut-off date of June 29, 2020.
"I know my ranking is not that great and I am hopeful I will get a chance to qualify,” concluded Jinson Johnson.
Indian athletes already qualified for Olympics
India’s athletics contingent has seen as many as five athletes sealing their Olympic places so far along with the mixed relay team.
They are 20km racewalkers Irfan Kolothum Thodi and Bhawna Jat, 3,000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable, javelin throwers Neeraj Chopra and Shivpal Singh, and the 4x400m mixed relay team comprising Muhammed Anas, VK Vismaya, Jisna Mathew and Tom Nirmal Noah.