Paris Games-bound high jumper Sarvesh Kushare said advice from Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has given a boost to his confidence.
‘Just focus on training and don’t get scared by the fame of the opponents’ is the mantra Kushare learnt from Neeraj which helped him much at one point of time this year when he was not sure of making the Games cut.
He made it to the Olympics through the world ranking quota. The Paris Games automatic qualification mark was 2.33m.
From practising on fodder-made makeshift mats to becoming the first Indian high jumper to qualify for the Olympics, Kushare has come a long way.
“When I last met Neeraj bhai, he told me to focus on training and not be intimidated by the opponents’ fame. He always keeps giving important tips,” Kushare said in an interview from Spala in Poland where he is training with other Indian athletes.
“He (Neeraj) is my idol. He gave all of us confidence by winning the first ever Olympic medal in athletics. We also want to be like him and bring pride to the country,” said the high jumper, who hails from Deogaon village near Nashik in Maharashtra.
With a personal best of 2.27m and season’s best of 2.25m, just making it to the final round in Paris should be a realistic target.
The 29-year-old, who is making his Olympic debut, however claimed that he has been jumping over 2.30m mark frequently during practice.
“It is important to be in top form at the right time and have faith in your preparation,” Kushare said. “Right now the focus is on the qualification round which will be held on August 7. The first goal is to make it to the finals. I will plan for the rest later.”
It will be a tough task for Kushare to be in the medal bracket in Paris. At least nine athletes have jumped 2.33m or above in the last one year.
Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy shared the gold medal in Tokyo with an identical jump of 2.37m. Tamberi is leading the chart this season with 2.37m while Barshim has been struggling a bit with a season’s best of 2.31m.
