CHANDIGARH: On the otherwise bleak Indian athletics horizon has risen a star who &iven proper training and incentives, might Well turn out to be the nation’s sprint hope in the 1990’s. The athlete is Harjinder Singh Gill, a student of the local Shivalik School.

The performances by Harjinder in the Recently concluded Junior National Inter State Athletics meet at Bangalore and then at the 34th National School Games at Cuttack give rise hopes that this young lad might one day be able to break the over 25 Year old 400 meter record standing in the name of the legendary Milkha Singh. But this will take some time, And when the time comes Milkha Singh, a senior functionary of the Punjab Education Department will probably be the happiest man.

At the Bangalore meet Harjinder participating in the under 16 section returned a timing of 11 sec in the 100 meter sprint to equal the existing record. Then in the 200 meter event he returned a timing of 21,7 sec to eclipse his own record of 22.4 sec. His time in this event is equal to the record currently standing in the senior section, a remarkable achievement for a boy who is not even 16 years old. And in the 400 meter event, Harjinder clocked 49.4 sec loping off nearly a second from the old mark of 503 sec.

Marked Improvement

Then at Cuttack, Harjinder running in the junior section, returned a time of 108 see in the 100 meter event to set a new record improving upon the old mark of 10.9 sec. In the 200 meter event his time of 21.2 sec was a great improvement over the existing record of 22.5 sec. In the 400metre event, Harjinder’s time of 49.00 sec His performances have brought raving comments from a large number of experts. National athletics coach J.S. Saini is of the opinion that Harjinder “possess all. the potential to go places.” Adil Sumariwala, a former sprint star and coach of yet another rising athlete, Zenin Ayriom has said that “Harjinder” could become the best sprinter India has produced.

Dr. Ram Low an athletics coach from the German Democratic Republic attached with the national team, has said: “We can hope on this type of talent to bring medal in the Olympics for India.” A Soviet sports scientist, Dr. Vallery Poppoy, has said that Harjinder’s timings” are better than Soviet boys” performances in 100 and 200 meters.

Athletics at 11

Harjinder took to athletics in 1985 at the age of 11. He, however, started running the 400 meter event only last year. When Harjinder stood first in the 100 and 200 meters in the Inter Shivalik Public School Meet his time was 14 sec in the shorter run and 28.0 sec in the longer sprint. In 1986 he improved his time in the 100 meter event to 129 sec while in the 200 meter event he clocked 26.3 sec. That year he was also first in the 100 and 300 meters in the Chandigarh State Athletics Meet.

Participating in the Mini National Athletics Meet at Nadia in Chandigarh State Athletics Meet.

Participating in the Mini National Athletics Meet at Nadia in Gujarat in 1987, Harjinder stood first in the 200 meters and second in the 100 meters and long jump. ‘That year his time was 11.9 sec in the 100 meter sprint and 242 in the 200 meter event.

In 1988 Harjinder claimed two gold (old record 49.49 sec) raises hopes that Hanjinder will soon make waves on the national scene. medals in the School Games held in Chandigarh, by winning the 100 and 200 meters. Then in the Inter State Meet held at Jalandhar he won the 200 meter gold in the junior section with a time of 22.4 sec, improving upon the existing record of 22.8 sec, He was second in the 100 meters with a time of 11.24 sec. This year saw Harjinder running in the 400 meter event also where his time was 52.1 sec, His coach, Paramjit Singh of the Sports ‘Authority of India speaks of his trainee very highly, His ward follows strictly the schedule laid down by Paramjit.

But Paramjit as well as the Principal of the school, Mr. DS. Bedi knows fully well that the athlete must run on synthetic surfaces if he is to improve further. Therefore Harjinder is taken to the National Institute of Sports in Patiala every week where he runs on the track there. Mr. Bedi is keen to, acquire a three land synthetic track for his school. But there is simply no funds for the Rs 40 lakh project.

Mr, Bedi says the school can at best fork out Rs 10 lakh but would like the SAT to pay the remaining Rs 30 lakh.

Harjinder’s father Mr. Gurbant Singh, former service man and now an employee of the Punjab Health Department is justifiably proud of his son. Harjinder’s younger brother Lakhvinder Singh, is also budding. athlete and is training for heptathlon. His pet event is long jump where he is doing about 5.90 meter. Lakvinder is just 14 and is a class IX student in Shivalik Public School, At Cutiack Lakhvinder won a silver medal in the heptathlon event.

Article extracted from this publication >>  April 14, 1989