Triple jumper Arpinder Singh in race against time to qualify for Tokyo Olympics

He comes thundering down the runway like a pile of pebbles flicked across a pond. The triple jump can sometimes look clumsy, lacking in rhythm, but Arpinder Singh makes it look beautiful.

His feet tapped down on the runway, in smooth strides as fast as he could. The sound suddenly stops as he takes off, then there is the hard crunch of the sand cushioning his landing. The hop, the step, and the jump blend into one continuous effort, a kind of dance of all its own.

Arpinder has already leapt further than his peers could dream of, creating history as the first Indian male triple jumper to win gold at the Asian Games in 48 years.

But Arpinder is still not content, he wants more.

Starting his run-up, he quickly bows his head, wags his finger, and smiles beamingly. By the time he explodes in the sandpit nearly seven seconds later, he simply steps back, shrugs nonchalantly and makes another attempt.

All of this, however, is to set himself up for a run at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. Ever since the lockdown was lifted, Arpinder, who is training at the Inspire Institute of Sports, has been ramping up preparations to guarantee himself a Tokyo Olympics qualification spot in the triple jump.

Arpinder Singh: Tokyo Olympics qualification chances, Rio failure, and preparations ahead

Arpinder will aim to breach the 17.14m to seal a quota place for the Tokyo Olympics. (Source: PTI)

In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, the Commonwealth Games bronze medalist spoke about his Tokyo Olympics qualification dreams, Rio disappointment, and lots more.

Here are the excerpts:

Q: The COVID-19 limitations have left many Indian athletes uncertain of whether they will be able to compete in tournaments. Things are looking bleak for many who are yet to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. You being one of them, how do you view the current disruption as an athlete?

Like any other athlete, I want to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics first. I am training hard so that I can perform well in the upcoming National Interstate Seniors Athletics Championships and secure an Tokyo Olympics spot.

The event was originally supposed to be held in Bengaluru, but I came to know the venue has been ruled out due to the lockdown in Karnataka. There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment. We don't know what may happen in the next minute.

I want to be as fit as possible in these crucial times. The Tokyo Olympics are fast approaching now. Many more things are closing down every day. It is becoming harder to worry about training for the Tokyo Olympics with whatever is going on around us. It is difficult to perform one’s best at a time like this.

Q: The pandemic had made it impossible for you to travel abroad for training last year. Instead, you were stuck in Patiala, wondering whether you could resume your training. With training gone for a toss after the nationwide lockdown, how did you react to the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics?

A: Yes, it was a big setback for me. I could have never imagined that anything of this magnitude would ever happen. Then the Tokyo Olympics were postponed. On one hand, I was not able to train, and on the other, I had the fear of contracting the virus (Laughs).

I thought that if a person contracted COVID-19, then he would die. Soon recovery cases started getting reported.

I was stuck at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala without a coach or training partner during the lockdown. I was stuck behind closed doors for months, in fact, I waited for three months to get an approval for a camp in Kerala.

I was a little disheartened after all these efforts. But my father consoled me by saying that the whole world was suffering exactly the same fate.

Q: What were the changes you brought to your training at that time?

A: I was helpless during the lockdown. I was training only once a day because not much was possible at home. I did my weight training thrice a week, daily two hours of some jumping practice, and a little skipping. I had to maintain my strength and core ability. But I was missing out on the important track practice.

Q: Arpinder, you are somebody who knows the pitfalls of how hurtful a missed chance can be. How did you pull yourself together after the disappointment at the Rio Olympics?

A: I had played enough competitions, enjoyed good form, but couldn’t still qualify. I was very demoralized. I thought to myself unconsciously, 'what's the point of playing if I could not even qualify?’, and so I stopped everything for a while.

I recall I did not do anything for the entire two months after that incident. I started eating recklessly and gained a lot of weight.

But gradually, I began to pull myself together. It was a tough time, I was being criticized, looked down upon by my close friends and relatives. People who once congratulated me on my success now began ignoring me.

I have come to know that it is only a handful of people who stay with you and support you through difficult times.

I realized I had to get over this, work harder, and achieve my ambitions. The negativity just did not matter anymore, if I did well, they would come to know.

Q: You seem to be a more upgraded individual now in terms of mindset and skills. Was it difficult bouncing back on track after all the negativity?

A: I was happy with my progress. I noticed I was finally regaining my rhythm. Then I won the Asian Games, that was a huge victory for me. I performed even better at the Continental Cup. My mark improved and the jump was satisfactory. The victories spoke for themselves.

Q: You are now back with your previous coach Jaikumar after changing five training bases and as many coaches as possible. You headed to South Africa last year to better your personal mark. But it didn't seem to work out for you. What differences in training did you notice between then and now?

A: Training in Cape Town did not help much. I barely spent 25 days there and returned to India. My training was not up to the mark, and I was far from improving.

I devised a strategy that would help me focus on my strengths and weaknesses separately. I decided to train under PB Jaikumar again. I trained under him from the very beginning. He coached me to a long jump gold medal at the Asian Games. I am working more on the Russian technique of focusing on my jumps now.

He has ensured that I do the 18 strides in the 41 m run-up with the first six strides with much ease. We have also been working a lot on my arm positions. Earlier, the arms used to drift away from my body when I attempted a jump. I can see it is improving now.

Q: Athletics has never been our forte at the Olympics. But this year seems to be an exception. With the likes of Neeraj Chopra, Avinash Sable and others, an athletic medal at the Tokyo Olympics does not look at all impossible. How do you see India faring at this year's Tokyo Olympics?

A: The chances of an athletic medal at the Tokyo Olympics are quite high. The current crop of athletes has been consistently doing very well. The rest cannot be foretold, anything can happen. But I am certain they will all come out with commendable performances there.