I am not surprised at Manjit winning 800m: Jinson Johnson

NEW DELHI: It was once disappointing for Jinson Johnson not to win the 800m however the 1500m Asiad champion was once a ways from stunned that compatriot Manjit Singh pipped him for the top prize in his pet 800m match.

"Yes, 800m is my pet event and definitely I would have loved to win gold in it. So, in a way I am disappointed but I am happy that two Indians won gold and silver instead of other countries winning them," Jinson mentioned.

"Moreover, I am not surprised at all that Manjit won the gold as there is no big difference in timing between him and me. In the past few years, in the National Championships, he has been my main competitor. I knew if I can win, he (Manjit) can also win," he added.

Manjit was once in the back of two-three runners on the final bend but ran past Jinson and others in the final stretch to win the gold. Manjit ran a non-public highest of 1:46.15 while Jinson clocked 1:46.35.

"I felt a bit tight at the final stretch and could not preserve myself for a final burst which Manjit did. But it is all right, I am happy with my silver in the 800m."

Asked if the 800m name loss performed out in his mind while running the 1500m wherein he received a gold, Jinson mentioned, "Not exactly. At this big stage, anybody can win any race. I was not thinking particularly about Manjit but was thinking about all the other competitors, that nobody should overtake me (in 1500m)," mentioned the 27-year-old Kerala athlete.

Asked if he can have achieved better and reinforce upon his private and national file time which he had clocked in Guwahati Nationals in June, he mentioned: "The conditions were not perfect in Jakarta and I was more of thinking of winning the race than improving my time."

Jinson had broken mythical Sriram Singh's 42-year-old file of 1:45.77s right through the National Inter-State Championships in June in Guwahati when he clocked 1:45.65s.

Jinson also downplayed the debate about his timing in 1500m improving the 2016 Rio Olympics gold-winning timing.

He mentioned:"Two things are there. One, this sort of races are tactical races and continuously timings of most sensible athletes in large events like Olympics or World Championships may be below par. So, it is not appropriate to compare these timings.

"Secondly, whilst you run in an Olympic final race, you don't consider timings, you consider profitable gold or different medals. If timing is just right in the process this is well and just right. If you notice the timing of the semi-finals (in 1500m in Rio Olympics) the timings had been world class, round 3 mins 40 seconds," mentioned Jinson who received the 1500m gold in the Asian Games with a time of three minute 44:72 seconds.

Jinson mentioned he might produce a greater time right through the September 8-Nine IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava, Czech Republic where he will run for Asia-Pacific workforce. Only two most sensible athletes from four areas - Europe, Africa, Americas and Asia-Pacific - will compete in every match in this international season-ending pageant.

"It will likely be an international class box and the prerequisites will likely be just right, so timings may be just right," he mentioned.

Women's discus throw bronze medallist Seema Punia had urged that different athletes should practice her in helping flood-affected victims of Kerala with monetary assistance.

Asked if he would enhance this initiative, Jinson merely mentioned, "The other people of Kerala have suffered so much due to this horrible flood. I am not being able to move house as I will be able to be participating in this Continental Cup. I will be able to see what I will be able to do to help the people of my state."

Besides Jinson, Neeraj Chopra, Hima Das, Sudha Singh, Arpinder Singh, PU Chitra and Mohd Anas will participate in the prestigious Continental Cup. Jinson, Sudha, Arpinder, Anas and Chitra are here forward of their departure for Ostrava on September 6.