NEW DELHI: Harry Wilson, the distances’ British coach. says Indian athletes pave a tough, long way to go before they ‘an reach anywhere near the European standards,

“The Indians lack killer instinct and they don’t even want to beat each other during the training and domestic competitions ‘opined the 62 year old coach who was here ‘on a month long assignment to train middle and long distance runners.

‘Wilson said apart from these handicaps, the Indian athletes are “terribly short of international exposure the world athletic sense is changing at an unimaginable speed ‘and unless you are part of it or at least ‘aware of it, don’t hope or expect anything.

Wilson told UNI that in his view, Indian athletes were not used to tougher training stints.” Unless an athlete is tougher mentally and physically and prepared to go through the rigorous of hard training there is chance for him or her in interactional competitions.

He said I have observed that most of the Indian athletes are happy to train together and do not show much zeal to come out for training individually or with some out Siders.”

‘Wilson who has been coaching for the last 30 years however was of the view that at the Asian| level Indian athletes are coming up fast and will be a force to reckon within the coming days,

He said that he was hopeful India would do very well in the coming Asian Track and Field Meet to beheld here from November 14 to 19.

‘Wilson said that “during my one month of coaching here I found out that the boys have adopted tough training techniques cheerfully and for the last few days they ‘were on high quality training schedules.”

If they continue with this schedule, the prospects look Very good. Allot depends on coaches who have to keep the athletes motivated, he said. However more depended on the athletes, who will have to perform ‘well for their own and the country’s sake,” he added,

The Briton who is coming back to India to give a seven week training stint prior to the Asian Track and Field Meet, said he has suggested to the “Sports Authonifyat India to send some middle and long uriat runners to England for training this summer.

The training in England will go a long way to improve their attitude and performances he said,

Wilson said the athletes will have to keep improving, They (in the camp) are not the best they will have to work harder as the summer goes on then only they will produce the results,

He said it was difficult for him to ‘compare the Indian athletes with other Asian athletes because of lack of statistics. In Europe there is no dearth of such data and one can easily compare the standards,

The veteran coach advised the Indian athletes to train hard and also to leam to have more patience saying that they should know that results could not be achieved in ‘one year or even in three years.

Giving a example, Wilson said David More craft of Britain started running at the age of 14 and it took him 16 years to set a world record in 5,000 mis.

Wilson said the hopeful sign about the Indian athletic scene was the gradual professionalism which is coming up, “It is heartening to see that most of the trainees in the camp are employers of Railways and ‘other services and are allowed to join the ‘camp while the employers are happy to pay them their salanes.

He said Delhi has excellent facilities but the heat is “killing”, However, athletes have to get used to train in such conditions just like athletes in Canada train in sub zero temperature,

Wilson said the Indian women athletes area long way behind and attributed this to “their attitude”,

Coaching is an education of mind, as well as physical toughening of attitude. Indian women athletes should not feel satisfied by achieving small targets. It is indeed disappointing to see that PT. Usha and Shiny Abraham have not bettered or improved upon their previous bests.”

About this trainee Steve Ovett Wilson said be was still running well. He enjoys running competitive events though he is not at his best. He will keep running for long time to come because that is his profession.

Ovett now prefers the 1,500 mts. Although he won the gold in 5000 at the Commonwealth Games he now enjoys the speed of 1500 mts, Wilson said.

‘Wilson 28 year old assistant Josephine White was of the view that Indian women athletes have little ambition. They have some talent, Josephine said but added that there was need to have more aggression in training and while taking part in the competition.

She however, said that women athletes have better chance in Asian level competitions, because apart from China, Japan and two Koreas the Indian women athletic scene looks bright compared to other countries.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 26, 1989