Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Selva Prabhu© AFP
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Selva Prabhu believes food poisoning denied him a shot at the gold medal in Glasgow, saying a performance close to his personal best would have been enough to top the podium. Selva won bronze in the men’s triple jump with an effort of 16.52m, finishing behind compatriot Praveen Chithravel (16.58m) and Scotland’s Jordon Scott (16.72m). “I wish I had gotten that gold. I was really hoping for gold, but what can be done when illness and food poisoning strike before the competition begins? I feel that, in the end, there is always a cost to yourself. I am mentally tough, so I decided that whatever happens, I will do it and keep pushing myself,” Selva told PTI after returning from Glasgow on Monday.
The Tamil Nadu athlete said the illness affected his performance and rued missing a golden opportunity, as a jump close to his personal best of 17.05m would have comfortably secured the title.
“I should have stayed healthy, but there’s always next time. I’m always ready. I can compete more and stay healthy. It’s about the stage. I have the consistency. It’s all about that particular day. I just always want to stay healthy. Now, I want to work on my approach. Once I get the hang of it, I can do it,” he said.
Asked about the upcoming Asian Games, Selva said he was not looking too far ahead.
“I live each day. Each day requires a new performance. You just cannot target a gold medal like that. Yes, I am now looking forward to qualifying for the Asian Games first and then taking it from there,” he said.
Selva finished third at the National Inter-State Championships, the qualifying event for the Asian Games, with 16.79m. He also breached the Asian Games qualifying distance of 16.28m. However, India can send only two athletes per event in athletics at the Asian Games.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is yet to announce the team for the Asian Games in Japan.
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