Technique is the most crucial element in any sport. It was a recent change in technique that is earning Tamil Nadu athlete Jeswin Aldrin all the praise and accolades. Aldrin broke the national record with a jump of 8.42 metres to claim gold in men’s long jump at the Inspire Institute of Sport in Vijayanagar. An Indian Express report stated that a week before the competition, Jeswin and his team took a decision to modify his run-up, reducing the number of strides to 18 from the earlier 20. This would reduce the player’s speed a bit but provide a lot more control.
‘If practice is good, competition will be easy’
The IE report further quoted Aldrin’s Cuban coach Yoandri Betanzos as saying, “He was complaining about getting very stiff during takeoff because of the speed of the run-up. So we decided to change the approach. It may not be as fast as before but it’s much smoother. I also tell him not to take any pressure during competitions. If practice is good, competition will be easy.” Betanzos has been coaching Jeswin for over a year now.
Speaking about his achievement Aldrin said, “I wanted to break the national record last year but unfortunately it ended up being a wind-assisted jump. I am happy that I finally broke the record at my home ground – the Inspire Institute of Sport. I am elated that the national record is now in my name.” The athlete broke the previous national record of 8.36 metre with a massive jump recorded at 8.42 metres.
Only athlete to cross 8-metre mark
A measure of the 21-year-old’s dominance can be had from the fact he was the only competitor to cross the eight-metre mark. He opened with 8.05 metres and followed it up with 8.26 metres before finding the power and speed to get to 8.42 metres. Kerala’s Muhammed Anees Yahiya was a distant second at 7.85 metres.